Twilight Revisited: Role Reversal
by Zonji
Summary: Edward..." a beautiful, melodic voice beckoned in the darkness. "Edward..." the angel called again, almost close enough to touch. Abruptly, all traces of fear melted from my limbs as I realized that only heaven could hold such a face.
1. Amber

I (heart) fanfic, and wanted to try my hand! hopefully its not a bad hand! :)

**I DO NOT own the wonderful characters/world of twilight! only in my wildest dreams...well, i suppose they're a little wilder than that!**

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The air was thick with moisture, as my legs moved rapidly through the dark, mossy woods. The rugged terrain coupled with my acute clumsiness, made it nearly impossible to keep a steady pace, but I had to try. My long legs were propelled forward by the faint glow of light in the distance, but every step I took seemed to drive it further away. As twigs snapped beneath my feet and roots threatened to break my stride, I pushed harder; pumped my arms faster.

I cannot stop.

I listened for the sound of footsteps other than my own. Nothing. There was only the muffled sound of branches slapping against my skin as I streaked noisily through the woods, but I knew better. I wanted to look back; wanted to see what was behind me, but I couldn't stop.

I would not stop.

I didn't know why I ran. I only knew that if I stopped, it might mean the end of my life, if it could be called that. I was sure there was a difference between living and merely existing. If I was honest with myself, I knew that up until this moment, my life had not meant much.

How quickly things seem to change.

My legs became heavier with ever stride. My lungs were gasping for air, warning me, and I knew I couldn't keep this up much longer. I tried to focus my eyes as the soft, amber colored light ahead shifted into two warm beams. Something in my body was telling me I should turn around or run in another direction, but the hypnotic glow commanded me to press on. I obeyed, lurching my ever weakening limbs forward as shapes began to form around the glowing lights.

"Edward…" a beautiful, melodic voiced beckoned in the darkness. Instantly my body seized, my breath caught and I collapsed soundlessly to the squashy, green moss covered earth. My head was ringing with echo of the voice, yearning for it to come closer. I lay there, gasping for air while my lungs greedily sucked it in. My eyelids suddenly grew very heavy and as they began to close, I caught a fading glimpse of the swiftly approaching amber beams, now shining softly from the most beautiful, angelic face.

"Edward." The angel called, almost close enough to touch. Abruptly, the fear I had felt began to fade as I realized that only heaven could hold such a face.

"Edward!" A new voice called, this one more familiar than the other.

I sat up so quickly, my head was spinning. I gazed around, confused and wondering how I had ended up in my bedroom.

"Is your hearing ok? That's the third time I've called you! Your alarm has been ringing for the last ten minutes!" My roommate Anthony bellowed. My eyes drifted slowly to my sweat-soaked t-shirt. I peered up at his face and then to the bright red numbers on the beeping alarm clock.

"Ugh…I'm late! Again." I moaned, collapsing back onto the firm mattress.

"Right! Now get a move on." he griped, trying to sound stern. It didn't work. I threw back the covers and rose groggily from the bed. Grabbing my towel and heading towards the bathroom, I tried to recall the dream that seemed more real behind my closed eyes than in my current state. There was only one thing I remembered clearly, and that was the piercing eyes that shone brightly from an unfamiliar, yet beautiful face.

I gave up on resurrecting every detail and focused on showering and getting to school. I knew I would miss the exam for my first class, but at least I could try and show up. I barely glanced in the mirror as I hurriedly brushed my teeth. There wouldn't be anything new to see, just the same wild, bronze hair, emerald green eyes and deathly pale skin. I kept telling my self that puberty was going to kick in any day now, even if it was a few years late, I wouldn't mind.

I sped back to my room and threw on the first clean things I saw-a navy blue t-shirt and my favorite, worn out jeans-snatched my book-bag and jacket off the desk and raced out the door. I wanted to kick myself as I realized I had to run up the block to the lot where I'd left my truck. I decided to walk, as fast as I could, but still managed to trip several times along the way. My coordination had never been very good, especially when it involved a rapid pace. I threw my bag to the ground in a huff when I finally reached the parking lot.

"Not again!" I groaned. This made it official. I had the worst luck in the world, no, let's make that the universe. I had already slept through two alarms this morning. Well, maybe slept is the wrong word. I must have been in some sort of coma because I really don't know how I could have slept threw both of them. I was missing my first class, in which I had an exam and the time constraint had caused me to miss out on my morning bowl of Frosted Flakes. Now, here I was, standing in the empty parking space my truck should have been in.

"Dang, tow truck!" I hissed, kicking an empty soda can that lay in place of my truck. I couldn't have been parked there for more than five minutes over the allotted time. I would have sworn the towing guys were sitting in the parking lot watching with a timer, if I didn't know any better. I grudgingly pulled my cell phone from my bag pocket and began dialing.

"I'll be there in five minutes. Where are you this time?" Brian answered on the first ring. I had to laugh; apparently this type of thing happened more than I was willing to admit.

"I'm in the parking lot in front of the gym." I sighed.

"Well, I guess this means you missed your exam, again."

"Dude, just hurry up and get down here. Thank you!" I hung up. I didn't feel like hearing a lecture about how I needed to be more responsible. I kept telling Brian, he was too young to be so mature. We were seventeen, well, soon to be eighteen year old, college freshmen. In my opinion, the only things that should be on our minds were girls and parties, not that I was seeing much of either of them. All the girls I knew-platonic friends, of course-always told me that I was too shy. I preferred to refer to myself as the strong, silent type, but apparently some amount of actual strength was required for that. I had tried my best to bulk up, but the only things I gained from stuffing my face and nearly having a hernia in the gym were stomach aches and sore limbs. It appeared that I was destined to remain a lanky, 6'2'', 170lbs.

I stared at my shadow aimlessly as I dragged my feet towards the entrance of the expansive parking lot. I had hoped to catch Brian before he entered the maze of cars. I was almost at the front of the parking area when a sound that could only be described as shrieking pierced the stale, humid air. I later learned it was merely the screeching of custom Pirelli tires, failing in their desperate attempt to grip the asphalt and avoid ending a dull, 17 years of existence. I whipped my head up in time to glimpse a couple by the nearest sidewalk, jumping and pointing frantically at something behind me; their faces twisted in horror. Bewildered, I swiftly turned around to process what was happening. My brain strained to focus on the deep, red blur barreling towards me, but made no attempt to signal the rest of my body to move me from harms way. I had only enough time to think one thought; if I was going to become road kill, at least it was at the hands, or should I say fenders, of a pristine Alfa Romeo.

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**Ok so its not the "real" twilight world...I figure, u can't improve on perfection, so try and create your own!**

**Please review and tell me what you think! be honest...nice honest...not mean and surly and cruel! Thanx in advance!**


	2. Impossible?

**PLEASE NOTE**..."Brian" from the previous chapter is now "Mike"!

Who owns twilight?? i **DON'T**, i **DON'T!** sadness

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I stood there like a deer in the headlights, peering through the tinted windshield of the car. My body tensed as the familiar glow of amber stared back at me. Very quickly, I squeezed my eyes shut, crouching in a way that resembled the fetal position, and braced myself. I waited for the pain as the fenders crushed around my body, but it did not come. Instead, I felt a euphoric sense of weightlessness, as something hard crumpled against me, sending my body sailing in a direction I hadn't expected.

I groaned heavily as my head snapped against the asphalt. I kept my eyes closed, wondering why I couldn't feel my arms. I was about to look and see how much damage had been done when I felt something smooth and cold moving against me. I was sure I should either be dead or searing with pain by now, but there was only a faint soreness in my head and the pressure of whatever was holding me down. It took a moment before the low, humming sounds in my head became deafening screams

"Are you alright?" a hard, yet angelic voice burned through the screaming.

My eyes flew open to see the same amber beams from my dream, the same ones I had seen through the windshield, gazing worriedly at my face. Now I knew I must have been dead…or hallucinating. Wanting to snap out of it, I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to shake the image from my mind. I groaned in agony as this movement brought on the pain I had been waiting for.

"Don't move! You've banged your head quite severely." She said harshly, placing and ice cold hand over my forehead to restrain me. I shivered and slowly opened my eyes. We seemed to be nearly twenty feet from the parking lot entrance. A large crowd had formed around us and I wondered where they all had come from. I was positive there hadn't been this many people out here when I arrived.

"I didn't even see her." Someone said.

"It's like she came out of nowhere." Another voice added.

I looked up and saw that it was the couple I had seen earlier, pointing and trying to warn me of my impending demise. The angel beside me shifted uncomfortably and I noticed that it was her small arms that were cold and pressing me into submission. I stared up into her face, the shock setting in as I realized she had saved me.

"Are you alright?" She asked again, this time, more gently.

Though her voice had been soft, it did not match the hard set of her wide eyes. I tried to place the emotion that filled them, but failed. Up close, I could see that the color was not quite amber; more like a deep topaz, but they were still just as beautiful as they had been in my dream. My gaze wandered, taking in the dark circles under her eyes and the sharp angles of her heart-shaped face; the narrow jaw that was now tightly clenched. Her small, full lips were drawn into a tight line. The beauty of her ghostly pale skin nearly took what little breath I had away.

"H-how did you…you were…in that car."

"I was standing near the overpass by the entrance." She said, her eyes darting quickly to the crowd, then back to my face. I searched my brain, wondering how I could have missed her. I wasn't sure, but I didn't remember seeing anyone there.

"No. I saw you…your eyes…in…driving that car." I couldn't tell if it was her face or the pain that slowed my speech.

"That is not possible." She almost growled, her arms stiffening around me. It was true, it was certainly impossible for her to be here now if she had been driving, but I had seen her; seen those eyes, in my dream and now. It was not possible, but it was her.

"I saw you." I responded, quietly, turning my eyes back to the ever increasing throng of on-lookers.

"Let me through, move, damn it!" Someone yelled, pushing through the crowd.

"Edward! Shit man, are you… " Mike stopped short just in front of us, his eyes wide with fear as they flickered from me to the angel. It was then that I noticed the proximity of the crowd. They had gathered around us, but seemed careful not to get too close. I watched their faces closely, trying to understand why their eyes held more fear than worry.

"The ambulance is here. They're gonna get you to the hospital right away." Mike said, but did come closer.

"I think I'm ok. My head hurts a little." I croaked. Talking seemed to make it worse.

"Umm…is _she_ alright?" He asked, his head nodding to the side.

"I'm fine." She answered softly, slowly releasing me from her iron grasp. She pulled her arm from under my back and stood, effortlessly. She seemed much smaller now that she was upright. I watched as the crowd parted instantly to make a path for her.

"Thank you…" I managed to call out. She turned her head swiftly, tufts of chocolate brown hair cascading over her white skin. The contrast was beautiful. Her full lips relaxed and turned up into a half-smile so stunning, I would have sworn the Earth moved if I hadn't known it was simply the EMTs lifting me onto a stretcher. She turned back then, and disappeared through crowd.

"Was it worth it?" Mike chuckled, suddenly close to my side as I was placed into the ambulance.

"Was what worth what?"

"You getting hit by a car, just so you could miss your exam!" He joked. I wanted to laugh, but knew that too would probably increase the pain. I thought instead of those piercing topaz eyes, soft, full lips.

"Yeah, I think so." I answered, as the closing doors latched into place.

* * *

I was awakened by the irritating sound of beeping; high pitched, evenly spaced, beeping. My eyes opened to the pale blue walls of what I immediately knew were those of a hospital. There was no other place that simultaneously held the smell of life and death. I breathed a sigh of relief as I noticed I was still in my own clothes. At least this meant I wouldn't be spending the night.

"Feeling better?"

I jerked my head over to see her sitting with folded arms, on the edge of an unoccupied bed, a smile playing at her lips. Had her clothes changed?

"How long have I been in this place?"

"Merely a few hours. You have a mild concussion. They wanted to be sure you wouldn't need an extended stay." She laughed lightly. I however, found nothing humorous about this situation.

"How did _you _manage to get by without a scratch?" I questioned, looking down at my bandaged arms.

"I'm a little less fragile than you." She said, with a smirk.

I was about to respond when the doctor walked in. I felt my eyes widen as he approached. A musical giggle escaped her lips as she caught my reaction. I wasn't one for judging other guys, but this dude seemed to be a little, well, much too handsome to be working in a hospital. He kind of had that Brad Pitt thing going on, but he couldn't have been more than thirty. My eyes flashed between his face and that of the girl's sitting perched on the bed next to me. They had the same satiny smooth, pale skin and topaz colored eyes. The purple tinged circles underneath them were identical.

"Hello. Edward Swan, is it?" he ruffled through the papers on his chart and glanced at the bed next to me.

"Hi Bella, how's he holding up?" he asked her. My heart stuttered slightly at finally learning her name. She shrugged her shoulders and gestured towards me.

"I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen. How are you feeling?" He turned to me, lightly resting the back of his cold fingers against my forehead. I stifled the impulse to shudder.

"I'm fine. Can I go home now?"

"Well, I don't think that will be a problem. Everything appears to be alright. I'm sure a few Tylenol will keep the pain away." He said, while shining a small light into my eyes.

"Your father and friends are already waiting to take you home." He added.

"Oh brother…" I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Well, since everything is alright, I'll be going. See you later, dad." She said, rising gracefully. They both seemed to suppress laughter as my eyes widened. It was painfully obvious that there had to be some sort of relation between them. I just didn't expect it to be that one.

"Alright Edward, take care of yourself. Be sure to call if you begin to feel worse." Dr. Cullen said, his voice filled with concern.

"Thanks." I mumbled. He glanced again at his daughter, nodded, and left the room.

"Dad?" I quizzed.

She hunched her shoulders, grinned and headed for the door. I grabbed my jacket and bag from the small chair near the foot of my bed and quickly followed. I was surprised at how fast she moved. I noticed now that she couldn't be more than 5'4'', however, she was half-way down the hall when I reached the door frame.

"Wait! I need to talk to you." I called after her, trying to keep my voice low. She paused momentarily, but did not turn around.

"How did you do it?" I asked, flinching as my head began to throb.

"Do what?" she quipped, still not turning.

"How did you save me? You were driving that car!" I said, grabbing her arm so she would face me. A volt of electricity seemed to course through my body the moment I touched her ice cold skin. My breath caught in my throat as she turned and quickly snatched her arm away. She grimaced as her eyes burned into mine, seeming to darken with every second that passed. I had the sudden feeling that I should be afraid, but even in anger, the beauty of her face only pulled me in.

"For the last time, I was not driving." She said through clenched teeth.

"I saw you." I refused to back down. I know I wasn't the smartest guy in the world, but I know what I saw. Impossible as it may be, I know what I saw.

"Let's get this straight," she sighed, "you think I was behind the wheel of the car that very nearly took your life, and then suddenly I was not? I jumped from a moving vehicle and saved _you_?"

I grimaced at the emphasis she placed on "you"; as if I weren't good enough for her to save. I knew that, but she had no right to make the assumption.

"That's absurd, you know. No one would believe that." She smirked, running her small fingers through her hair. I thought about that for a moment.

"Well…maybe you're right, but…I wanna know…I need to know what happened. It just doesn't make any sense." I said, quietly. This seemed to confuse her, as several emotions played across her face.

"Does it really matter? You're alive. What more is there?" she said, and turned to walk away.

"Nothing." I mumbled, watching as she quickly disappeared around a corner. I stood there for a moment, debating whether I should go after her. I quickly decided against it. My head was beginning to ache more and I knew it was time for me to go home. I trudged slowly towards the hospitals waiting room, trying to prepare myself for the barrage of questions I was sure to get.

"Edward!" several voices cried out as soon as I pushed through the double doors. The hospital had called my father and it seemed that in turn, he'd called everyone we knew. Mike was there too, along with a group of our friends.

"Are you ok?" Angela and Jessica asked, each grabbing one of my heavily bandaged arms.

"I'm fine, I just wanna get the heck out of here." I groaned.

"Eds, are you're alright? Maybe you should stay." My dad asked, concerned.

"No, no, no! I'm fine. Let's get out of here, now!"

"Ok. Mike, get him home, and make sure he takes something for that head. I know he's got to be in more pain that he lets on." My dad tried to whisper, and failed. I was too tired to object, so I let them all walk me out to Mike's suburban.

The questions continued and I was about to tell them all to just shut up, when I glimpsed a small, pale figure from the corner of my eye. I turned my head slowly, not wanting to alert the others. I watched as she seemed to float across the pavement, a wave of rich, brown hair flowing behind her. Even from this distance, her face, and body for that matter, was stunning. I couldn't remember ever feeling this affected by some girl. I tried to convince myself that it was only because she had saved me, or at least _I _thought she had, but I knew it was something more.

I continued to stare as she slowed her pace and stopped at the door of a familiar, blood red, sports car. Abruptly, I began to feel dizzy as my heart doubled its speed. I froze, my eyes never leaving her face.

"Edward! What's wrong?" Angela cried out, lifting my arm onto her tiny shoulders. At that moment, her head snapped towards me; fire blazing through her narrowed eyes. A pained looked briefly flashed across her face before she swiftly opened the door and climbed into the car. I watched as she swiftly pulled out, and sped away.

"Eddie, what's wrong?" Mike asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. I kept my eyes on the road, even after her car was long gone.

"It's nothing. Let's get out of here." I sighed.

That was the first night I _knowingly_ dreamed of Bella Cullen.

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Edward Swan?? I know i know...role reversal, come on people! :) Thanks 2 everyone (all 4 of ya :) for the reviews! i will keep posting as long as at lease ONE person wants to read! I'm just in it for fun!


	3. AUTHOR'S NOTEvery quick

**Hi guys!**

**Thanks for your reviews! I really appreciate it! I'm going to post the next chapter, hopefully today (wednesday).**

**I just wanted to say I'm sure you're saying to yourself, what happened to the first portions of the book and what about the scene where this happens and that happens and they happen and so on and so forth…**

**If you haven't figured it out, this is "my" version of twilight…I didn't want it to be exactly the same, but I think I kept enough of the important parts and the main plot of the story…**

**Also, if you haven't noticed…I haven't really mentioned Forks/Forks-like weather, and its simply because I couldn't figure out if I want this to really be set in Forks or somewhere else. I finally decided it will be set in Forks, WA, however, they will attend the "fictional" Forks College (as fresheman). That being said, there will be a few things that are different, but again…the same**

**Please, please just be patient and give me a minute so you can see where I'm going with it!**

**Thanks again for you reviews and feedback!**


	4. Asthma

YAYYY! I FINALLY FINISHED THIS CHAPTER! it was going to be longer but...i wanted to hurry up and put it out...

once again, all this "wonderment" (i made that up) belongs to Stephenie Meyer...sadness...can u feel it??

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I was still running. My heavy footsteps made no sound against the forest floor. All that could be heard was the increasing pace of my heart and sharp intakes of breath. I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. I could not afford to fall at a time like this. I had seen the wild, red hair and fiery burgundy eyes that were chasing me. Her pale white skin was nearly identical to that of the angel that now ran beside me, our fingers interlaced.

It was strange, how even in this moment, though my mind told me I should, my heart felt no fear. All that I felt was the urge to turn and see at her face; to see her fierce eyes and the soft brown hair that I knew would be flying like angel's wings behind her. I just needed a quick look at those soft, full lips to know that fear could not live in this body as long as she was present. As if reading my mind, a thunderous growl erupted from our stalker, sending shivers throughout my entire being. I knew then that I could not lose focus.

The tracker was getting closer.

It seemed as if every hair on my body was standing on end when I gradually opened my eyes. Though I was covered in sweat, my body somehow felt ice cold. My eyes darted fleetingly around the room as I tried to shake the feeling of being watched. There was a gentle knock on the door as I peeked at the alarm clock.

"Come in." I yawned, my voice thick with sleep.

"Hey man, feeling up to it today?" Anthony asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little groggy from the meds." I answered, being careful to sit up slowly. The pain was very dull now. I was sure I could make it through at least half of the day.

"Are you sure you can make it, today?" he asked, as if reading my mind.

"Not completely, but I'll try. I don't really have a choice. My Bio. lab starts today and you know we have that idiotic first day rule."

"Well, you know how it is. They figure they can weed out the slackers by dropping them from the class sooner," he laughed, "hurry up and get dressed. You're riding with me today 'cuz I would hate for you to have another unfortunate accident. Although with your luck, I'm sure the next one isn't too far off." He joked, turning to leave the room.

"Thanks so much." I grimaced, jumping up to go after him. The sudden movement sent my head into a tailspin and I quickly reached out to the wall for support. I guess I wasn't feeling as good as I thought.

"You ok?" Anthony turned after hearing the thud my body made against the wall.

"Sure, sure, just got up too fast. So umm, speaking of accidents, what do you know about that girl?" I wanted to say Greek goddess but I figured that would be a bit much.

"We weren't speking of accidents; and what girl?" he quizzed, a smile playing at his lips.

"Aww come on, don't play dumb. The _girl; _the one who _saved_ me_._" I almost whispered. He was trying his best not to laugh, but it was hardly working.

"Ahh, that girl." He chuckled, patting me lightly on the shoulder.

"That would be the beautiful, Isabella Cullen." He breathed dramatically, placing the back of his hand over his brow. I ignored the gesture and let her name echo in my head. _A name as beautiful as the face; such a rarity_. I couldn't shake the image of her smile from my memory, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to. A part of my brain tried to tell me that wasn't a good thing, but I quickly dismissed it. Try as I may, I could think of nothing more than getting lost in those bottomless, topaz eyes.

"Edward, snap out of it!" Anthony joked, clapping loudly in my ears. I blinked rapidly, bringing myself back to the present.

"So, you know her, then?" I asked, trying to sound indifferent.

"Define _know_, exactly."

"Ugh…you either know her or you don't."

"Well, since you put it that way, I don't." he smirked, continuing down the narrow hallway.

"Hey, what do you mean _since you put it that way_?" I said, trying to follow him without falling on my face. I wasn't doing a very good job.

"Hey, hey, hey! What's all the fuss about; can't a guy get some sleep around here?" Mike groaned, finally emerging from his room. I was surprised it had taken him this long. He was one of the lightest sleepers I knew. I honestly thought he could wake up at the sound of a pin drop.

"He wants to know about the Cullens." Anthony called from his room. Mike's eyes grew wide. He turned to stare at me for a moment, opening his mouth as if to speak, then closing it.

"What?" I asked, confused. His only response was to smile timidly, and turn back into his room.

"What is it?" I asked again, walking to his doorframe.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. It's nothing." He responded, preoccupied with something in his closet.

"Bella turned him down!" Anthony smirked, suddenly appearing behind me.

My jaw dropped as I stared at Mike. I couldn't believe he had had the nerve to even try. I wasn't sure I could have spoken to her, if it wasn't for the whole saving my life thing and all. Her beauty was absolutely intimidating.

"Shut up, Evans!" Mike quipped. He must have been aggravated because that was the only time he ever referred to anyone by their last name.

"Just hurry up, ok, it's almost 9." Anthony called over his shoulder, laughing lightly. I wanted to stay and question Mike some more, but for one, he didn't look like he was willing to talk and two, Anthony didn't like being late, which meant he would have no problem leaving me behind if need be.

I could still here Anthony laughing in the kitchen as I crossed the hall to our small bathroom. I flipped on the light and peered into the large mirror over the sink. I gazed intently at my deep green eyes; a shocking contrast to the paleness of my skin. I was grateful, at least, that there had been no damage to my boyish face. I studied my reflection, turning this way and that, trying to find something that could be considered handsome. Everything seemed too angular. My cheekbones were too high and my nose seemed too pointed. My jaw was a little too narrow for my slightly full lips. The disarray of bronze hair didn't quite match my skin.

"Oh well." I sighed, smiling warily. I looked down at my bandaged arms, debating whether or not to remove them. I wasn't sure I wanted a reminder of yesterday's events. _But then you wouldn't have met her, _a voice in my head whispered. I sighed at the truthfulness of this thought. I would never forget the day I met the angel of my dreams.

I sighed again, as I slowly removed the bandages from my arms. I was surprised by the web of cuts and bruises that covered them. How I had managed not to feel the scrape of concrete against my skin, was beyond me. I stepped into the shower and turned the handles until the water was warm, being careful not to let it touch my arms directly. When a tiny droplet of water did happen to fall into my open wounds, I barely felt the sting. My mind was too preoccupied with seeing Bella again. I needed to talk with her and find out why she wasn't telling me the truth. Not that I knew what the truth was, or maybe I did know, but didn't want to admit it. How could I when the truth was such impossibility? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe those weren't her eyes that I saw through the windshield. The glass was tinted, and it could have easily been a reflection or something. Then again, the color had been so exact, almost the mirror-image of what I had seen in my dreams. But again, it was impossible. How could anyone jump from a car moving that quickly, and save a person they were ten seconds from killing. On top of that, how had she stopped the car from continuing forward once she was out?

"Did you fall? You don't get special privileges for being partially handicapped, you know! Hurry it up!" Mike banged on the door.

My eyes snapped opened. I hadn't realized I was just standing there while the water drummed against my skin. I washed myself and hair as quickly as I could, and toweled off. I moved to my room and starting getting ready for class, all the while praying that this day would be a little less eventful than the previous one.

"So, correct me if I'm wrong." Anthony started, parking his Nissan next to the small park in front of the campus library. I didn't mind being chauffeured to school, but I did mind the 30 miles per hour he insisted on driving because he didn't want me to get whiplash if he had to stop too soon. I was beginning to think he was having too much fun making me the butt of jokes.

"You asked Bella out, and she said no. End of story, correct?" he questioned, turning to Mike.

"Seriously man that was ages ago. Who remembers that sort of thing?" Mike responded, careful not to answer the question.

"It's ok, man. I understand. Bella is not what I would call _social_." Anthony chuckled, as we all exited the car. This was one day I was grateful for the dreary weather of Forks. At this time of year, I would have looked more than out of place in Phoenix, wearing a thick, fleece pull-over. Although, I must say, I didn't need sweaters to make me look out of place there, I had done that all by myself.

"I must say, I was surprised to see Bella so close to someone who wasn't related to her." I heard Anthony say, drawn out of my thoughts by the utterance of Bella's name.

"Huh? You mean, there's more of her…I mean, them?" I corrected, as we trekked slowly towards the Science building. I waited for a response as he laughed to himself.

"Oh, there's more." He chuckled, nodding towards the well manicured lawn. I turned to see clusters of students littered around the grass as we continued up the narrow sidewalk.

"Over there." Mike whispered, gesturing towards a group standing near an oak tree not far from us. I gave them the once over. They appeared to be normal enough. I did not miss the fact that Bella was not with them.

"Ok?" I shrugged, not understanding what the big deal was.

"Keep looking." He grinned. I sighed heavily, and turned towards them again. I gazed more intently this time, my lips parting slightly as I realized how far from normal they were.

They stood together. Their eyes were fixed in different directions, yet they seemed to be holding a conversation. It was then that I noticed they looked nothing alike. Of the two females, one was gorgeous and statuesque; definitely made for our viewing pleasure. She had golden waves for hair and twirled it around her fingers absently. The other girl was so small she seemed almost child-like. Her thin, elfin face was framed by short, spiky black hair. The males were exact opposites. The larger of the two was thick muscled, dark haired and it seemed to me that he had naturally what I had failed to obtain after countless hours in the gym. The other was tall and lean, with messy blonde hair. He seemed to be lost in thought as he stood, lightly rubbing the back of black haired girl.

And yet, they were all exactly alike. Their topaz eyes shined against the snowy, white skin, making the purplish rings underneath them seem darker. Even their movements, subtle as they were, appeared similarly graceful. This, however, was not why my mouth still had remained open. They were all indescribably beautiful. I hated to use that word to depict other males, but it was the only one that applied.

I walked with exaggerated slowness, continuing to watch them. My eyes only left them briefly, but I had noticed that others watched them too. Their eyes filled mostly with envy, but there was also a hint of fear behind them. Whether that was due to the un-naturalness of their beauty or something more, I could not tell.

"Close your mouth." Mike laughed. I snapped my lips closed, embarrassed that I had been caught gaping so hard.

"Umm…so, they don't really look alike." I mumbled, before he could make fun of me.

"They're all adopted, but the two blondes, Jasper and Rosalie are twins. Alice, Emmett and of course, Bella, are the Cullens." Anthony whispered, stopping just in front of me. I tried to keep my heart from reacting to her name, but it was useless. I kept arguing with myself that it was just a little displaced gratitude for her saving my life, but even I wasn't buying it.

"How do you know so much about them?" I raised an eyebrow. He laughed as he turned around and continued walking, but made no attempt to answer my question. I stole a quick glance in their direction, my heart leaping to my throat as I noticed their numbers had increased. She was there now, wedged between the two males as her petite frame shook with laughter. I was disturbed by the pang of jealousy that shot through me. I did not like their closeness to her.

"Edward man, what is up with you today?" Mike groaned. At that moment, Bella's head spun in my direction, her lovely lips pulled into a tight frown. I dropped my head quickly, hoping she had not seen me staring. I tried to quicken my pace and tripped over a crack in the cement. I felt the heat rise on my neck and knew my cheeks would be crimson red.

"Of all the times for my clumsiness to kick in..." I murmured to myself.

"Ah man, she's laughing!" Anthony joked, lightly nudging me in the side.

"Shut up!" I quipped, through clenched teeth. I wanted desperately to look at her again, but I was too embarrassed. I kept my head down and tried to focus on the concrete below me.

"It's alright man…no biggie! They're leaving anyway." Mike said, patting my shoulder. I shrugged, feigning indifference, but slightly lifted my head to watch them walk away. They all moved with such quick, graceful strides, it could easily be confused with dance. I watched as the sister with the wild, black hair paused and rubbed Bella's hand as if reassuring her of something. Again, I felt an unfamiliar stab of jealousy as I longed to simply be in her presence. Was that really too much to ask? As if on cue, I stumbled over a rock and into Mike's back, wincing as the pressure against my arms brought the pain back. _Dream on_, my mind seemed to be telling me. I sighed at the double meaning.

"Dude, what are we gonna do with you?" Anthony chuckled, helping me right myself.

"Walk me to Biology." I smiled, sheepishly.

* * *

"So…are you guys going to that frat party in a few weeks?" Mike asked, as we climbed the steps of the Biology building. I glared at him in response. I'm sure he had known my answer before he asked. I was never one for social gatherings with people I didn't know. I was absolutely sure my poor hand eye coordination would cause me some form of humiliation.

"I might, if I don't have a study group, why?" Anthony responded, pushing through the glass doors of the entrance.

"Well…I kind of wanted to ask Jessica…I wanted to make sure it was ok." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What are you staring at me for?" I griped. They both knew perfectly well how I felt about Jessica. They had seen me turn her down repeatedly.

"Well, I didn't know if you were planning on asking her. I thought you may have wanted to go as "just friends" or something."

"Well, trust me, I have no intentions of asking Jessica to go anywhere." I stated flatly. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I figured she should be able to take the hint by now. I mean, I liked having her as a friend, but that was as far as I was willing to take our relationship.

"Man, for somebody who never has a date, you sure are picky!" Anthony ribbed.

"I'm dateless, not desperate! There's a difference, you know." I pointed out.

"Alright man, this is as far as we go. Hit me up when your classes are over, and please try not to trip in front of any more moving vehicles."

"Shut up!" I smirked, heading down the hall. I was praying hard that this class went by quickly. I didn't loathe Biology, but anything silence related was like a thorn in my side. It was the only reason my GPA remained stiffly at a 3.988.

I quietly pushed through the doors in time to see Mr. Johnson, our T.A., handing out the syllabus. I walked with my head down, trying to blend in with the walls. I noticed a flash from the corner of my eye and turned to see Jessica waving frantically. I returned the gesture and continued to move slowly to the only vacant table. I hoped this meant I wouldn't have a partner. That way I wouldn't have to worry about someone doing more talking than working. I placed my forehead against the table's cool surface, as the he droned on for several minutes about what he expected of us. I heard the soft creak of the door opening just as he began discussing our first assignment. No sooner had the door eased shut than audible gasps filled the room. I lifted my head to see why the T.A. had stopped talking.

All heads in the undersized room, including his, were craned towards the door. I swiveled my chair slowly and was seized by a fit of coughing. Bella Cullen stood there, her pale skin radiating throughout the room, her lips pursed. For what seemed like the millionth time, my heart tried to escape and run to her, leaving me gasping and coughing wildly. This must have broken a little of the tension in the room, as everyone began to re-focus their attention. Mr. Johnson however, seemed to be in a state of trance as he watched her glide across the room. I too watched, with a combination of horror and elation as I realized the only vacant chair was next to mine. I readjusted myself in the seat and pretending to be listening intently. My heart crashed in my chest, working overtime to pump blood to my brain. She barely made a sound as she gently placed her things on the table and sat down. I drummed my fingers lightly, waiting for a chance to say something. I tried very hard to keep my eyes forward, but they had a mind of their own. Every few seconds they would dart over to her. When I finally got the nerve to peer at her face, I saw that her eyes were fixed on my battered arms. I stared down at them too, wondering what she saw as they were so heavily covered.

She remained very still with her crossed arms braced against the table, her slender, white fingers firmly gripping its edge. Her beautiful face pulled into a dark grimace as the corners of her mouth began to twitch.

"Bella?" I whispered, worried that something was wrong. Instantly her eyes shot to my face, causing my breath to stop in my throat.

They were pitch black, with no trace of the warm amber or topaz or even friendliness I had seen before. I tried to breathe as they mercilessly burned through my own. The wildness in them was both terrifying and hurtful. My brow furrowed as I quickly looked away, wondering if I had done something wrong? I couldn't figure out what I had done to upset her or more importantly, what had happened to the beautiful topaz eyes I remembered so well.

I raked my fingers through my hair as a light breeze fluttered through an open window nearby. A dull moan escaped her lips and I turned cautiously to see what was wrong. She was staring straight ahead, her coal-black eyes wide with rage. Her small body remained stiff as her knuckles tightened convulsively along the table's edge. I abruptly turned away, refusing to believe that this had anything to do with me. _Maybe she regrets saving you_, my mind suggested. I thought about that for a moment.

I did not look up when I heard the soft squeak of her chair being pushed back, nor did I watch as she quietly left the room. My heart had sank pitifully back to my chest as I realized there could have been some truth to my unwanted thoughts. It wasn't that I didn't want to believe it was possible for someone to regret saving the life of another. I didn't want to believe that _she_ could regret saving _me_. It was selfish, yes, but no one else really mattered to me at this point.

"Get a grip, man." I told myself, disturbed that all my thoughts seemed to center around this girl I barely knew. Sure, she was a beautiful, heavenly creature with mesmerizing…I stopped short. If she was going to hate me, I would have to keep myself from thinking this way. It would be no good to pine over someone who chose to act as if I didn't exist.

I decided I would put my concentration on Mr. Johnson's words when once again, the door creaked open and Bella eased in. I was sure I was the only one who reacted this time. My heart lurched forward, as if it hadn't heard a single word of the conversation I'd just finished in my mind.

"Are you trying to give us a heart attack?" I mumbled to my chest.

I kept my eyes down once again, as she pulled out her chair and sat down. It took everything I had, not to take a peek at her face, and it still wasn't enough. I wasn't a glutton for punishment so I gave myself to the count of five before I looked. Pretending I had a crook in my neck, I rubbed the space behind my jaw and let my eyes drift towards her. I shook my head and blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend what I was seeing. Something was very wrong here.

Her face was perfectly calm now, back to that of the angel that starred in my dreams. Her silky, brown hair was shining even in the dully lit classroom. The smooth, white skin of her small frame now seemed to have more color, if that were possible. This, however, was not what had my heart racing in fear. I stared into her eyes, which were now close to the shade of warm, butterscotch. I let my lids fall, seeing very clearly the black-eyed glare I'd received earlier, behind them. It was official then; I was losing it. It wasn't enough for me to think that she had saved me from being hit by a car that _she_ was driving. I now had to add changing eye color to the list. There was no real way to explain it, and that fact is what made me afraid.

She did not meet my gaze, but I couldn't bring myself to look away from her. As fearful as I might have been, the sheer beauty of just the shape of her lips, forced me into submission. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as my arms began to throb. Through all the commotion this morning, I had forgotten to take any medication for the pain. I sighed heavily and was about to turn away, when her eyes flickered quickly to mine. They narrowed slightly as she gazed from under a thick set of dark lashes. I felt the heat climbing up my body as my pulse quickened. I saw my chest heaving up and down, but could not hear my breathing. It was now me who grasped the edges of the table. I felt the blood creeping into my cheeks as my heart beat erratically. She smiled then, a slow, crooked smile so beautiful that whatever pain I felt immediately subsided. Her butterscotch eyes swam away from mine and stared straight ahead, leaving me once again, struggling to fill my lungs with air.

"Excuse me, but do you need me to call an EMT?" Mr. Johnson asked, seeming irritated that I was interrupting his lecture. I turned in awe as a velvety giggle sounded beside me. I shook my head slowly, trying to free myself of the haze that clouded my mind.

"Err…no…I'm fine. It's just my asthma." I lied, silently wishing things were that simple to explain.

* * *

i hope you all liked this! thank you SOOO much for the reviews! please keep letting me know what you think.


	5. Lunch

Okiday! sorry it took so long to update! i've been kinda busy lately, PLUS i HAD to get Breaking Dawn...i finished it in a day but...hmmm..?

Again, the lovely Stephenie Meyer owns all of this...

I sat quietly in my truck, listening to the rain splatter against the hood, trying to remember what I had eaten for lunch the day before. The last few days had gone by in a blur of boredom, worry and admittedly, disappointment. Bella had not returned to class since that strange incident and I wondered how much that had to do with me. My body was feeling better, at least. The gashes on my arms were healing quickly and I was grateful that I was now able to drive myself to school; Anthony's handicap jokes were starting to get old.

I waited for the rain to slow, startled by the thunderous roar the truck let out when I turned the ignition. The drive to school was not long, but campus parking was brutal so I always tried to give myself an extra fifteen minutes to find a place to park. I turned into my usual parking lot near the gym, sighing in aggravation at the long procession of cars seemingly waiting to exit and circle back around. I remained patient as they all began to creep forward.

Before I could touch my foot to the gas pedal, a sleek, silver Volvo pulled out in front of me, cutting me off. Immediately the cars behind me went into a frenzy of honking. I paused a moment, giving whoever this idiot was a chance to move, before I joined in. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a ghostly pale figure emerge, as the sounding of horns suddenly stopped. My heart jumped at the recognition of Bella's elfin sister, Alice, seemingly dancing her way towards the shining, silver car, followed by the rest of their siblings. I waited for my breathing to slow as my mind processed the idea that Bella was no less than five feet in front of me.

"Hey Edward!" I nearly leapt through the windshield, startled by the sudden knock at my window.

"Oh, hi Angela." I mumbled, rolling the window down.

"This parking lot is always so full! I knew I should have gotten up earlier." She pouted.

"Yeah, I was thinking that too. Sorry if I'm blocking your way, but someone just pulled out in front of me."

"Oh, its ok, I was hoping I ran into you today, anyway."

"Err…what is it?" I asked, worriedly. The look on her face told me whatever it was couldn't be good for me.

"Well…I was just wondering if you were going to that Frat party on Saturday. I was thinking maybe we could umm…go together or something…not like a _date_, you know…just…like, as friends or something." She stammered, lowering her eyes.

I felt bad having to say no. It wasn't that she wasn't a nice girl or anything, but I really just wasn't interested in getting involved in a situation that I knew would bring me nothing but embarrassment. I could still vividly recall the looks on people's faces and the mud on mine, when I'd let Mike talk me into attending the last frat party. Even now, I couldn't figure out how in the world I had tripped and landed face-down in a fresh puddle of mud. I only knew that I would never again put myself in a situation where anything like that could happen; which basically meant I would be staying indoors for a while.

"I'm sorry, Ange', but I'm gonna have to pass. I'm going to Seattle that weekend." I responded, quickly fabricating plans. Her face dropped slightly.

"Oh…ok then! Maybe next time…you know there's always the Spring Formal! See ya later!" She said excitedly, turning to run back to her car.

"Yeah…see ya." I responded, whipping my head around in time to see the Cullen's car speeding out of the parking lot.

"Perfect!" I groaned, easing my foot on the gas.

"Just perfect."

* * *

"Now, the mystery lies in the basic linking of the chromosomes. If we can decipher the force that pulls this section, to…"

I sighed heavily as I closed my eyes and pressed my cheek firmly against the cool top of the lab table, while Mr. Johnson rambled on about chromosome linkage. I couldn't fathom how this subject matter would help me in the future, so I successfully tuned him out.

My mind was on Bella; wondering if she was going to come to class today and hoping things would be different. I could still remember the look in her cold eyes that day; like there was something deep inside her that she equally wanted to restrain yet let loose. I had stayed up almost every night since, trying to understand what I could have done that would merit such a reaction from her, but continued to come up empty handed. It seemed the only way I would ever know was if I had the chance to speak to her again, which didn't seem likely. I lifted my head slowly, sighing to myself as I reached for my worn, navy blue book bag. I promptly snatched my hand back as I noticed the chair next to me was now occupied. I had been so caught up in my daydreaming that I hadn't heard her come in. She sat there now, her posture identical to that of the first day; eyes forward, back erect, white fingers gripping the table's edge.

My mind raced, trying desperately to come up with something to say. Hadn't I just been thinking of things to ask her? It was strange how her presence stunned my mind, making it almost impossible to have one clear thought.

"Hey!" I finally managed.

She turned very slowly, her wide eyes filled with some emotion I couldn't describe; indifference, maybe. She nodded once but did not speak, and turned again to face the front. Normally, this sort of response wouldn't bother me. I didn't talk to girls much, but when I did, I was used to getting the quick brush-off or the blank stare; nothing I couldn't get over. Bella's reaction however, sent a thin shot of pain through my body. I really wanted to believe I was so intrigued by her because of the circumstances of our meeting, but the ache of her rejections made me aware that it was something more. This was a feeling I would not get used to.

"Ok class, we're going to stop here today. I know it's early but try no to cry about it." Mr. Johnson joked. Any day, before today, I would have been ecstatic to be out of this hell hole sooner. My luck of course, was such that the one day I actually wanted to stay, he sends us home early. I sluggishly gathered my things, hoping she would talk to me.

"Hey Edward, so wasn't that like, the most boring thing you've ever heard?" Jessica chirped, appearing out of nowhere. Lately, my mind just wasn't as present as it had once been.

"Hey Jess', yeah it was pretty dull. I thought he would never shut up." I responded, stacking my notebooks together.

"Seriously! I'm psyched he let us go early, though." She said, her eyes darting quickly to Bella, who had not moved, back to me.

"So, umm…are you going to that frat party on Saturday? If so, I was wondering if you wanted to…you know…come with me." She blushed.

I paused momentarily, bewildered by the fact that I'd been asked out more today than almost my entire life. Out of nervous habit, I bent my head and rubbed the back of my neck, hating the wave of guilt that swept over me. From the corner of my eye, I saw Bella slightly tilt her head in my direction.

"Umm…I'm sorry Jess but, Mike was planning on asking you." I said quietly. Though I only thought of her as a friend, I didn't like hurting her feelings. I had learned lately that rejection wasn't the easiest pill to swallow.

"Ugh…he already did, but I sort of wanted to go with you."

"Well, you should go ahead and tell him yes. I'm not going." I responded flatly while tossing my book into the bag. I hoped it would be a hint that I wasn't in the mood for further discussion.

"Why not, have you already asked someone?" she demanded, her eyes flashing rapidly to Bella and back.

"No, I haven't. I have to go to Seattle."

"Come on Edward! Can't you go some other time?" she whined.

"No Jess, I can't. Besides, you don't wanna hurt Mike's feelings, do you?" she responded with a look that screamed _YES_ but I pretended not to see it.

"Fine! Must you always be so noble?" she grimaced, and turned towards the door. I chuckled lightly to myself as I pushed back my chair and stood, turning slowly to make an attempt to say goodbye to Bella. She was staring at me curiously; as if she wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. I stared back, glad that the expression she held was not one of hate. Her eyes seemed to penetrate my flesh and clutch my heart, causing it to sputter erratically. I wanted to look away but the very idea was unbearable despite the fact that my lungs were minutes away from collapsing.

"I'm sorry if I'm being rude, but it's really much better this way, Edward." the smoothness of her tone sent cool shivers down my spine. There was no question of me speaking, I was lucky to draw in an ounce of breath.

"It's better if we're not friends." She read the question in my eyes. I felt my face contort at her words. Who was such an idiotic arrangement better for? I stared in confusion as she rose gracefully from the chair, her eyes still locked in mine. Her movements were slow and deliberate as she glided towards me, never breaking our gaze.

"Trust me, it's for the best." She breathed into my ear, her pale, icy arm brushing against mine, making my lungs convulse. I could not stop my heart as it rejoiced at her closeness. I wanted to grab her and hold her to me, the way she had that day on the asphalt, but something told me this would be a bad move. She sighed and swiftly left the room, her cool sweet breath lingering at my throat. I sank back into my chair, snatching in as much air as possible. I tried to ignore the few lingering students who stared in disbelief. I didn't know if it was because she had spoken to me or if it was my reaction, frankly, I really didn't care. There was only one thing on my mind at this moment.

She had spoken to me.

* * *

"I still can't believe Angela _and_ Jessica asked _you_ out." Anthony stated, shaking his head in disbelief as we made our way to the campus cafeteria. We had discussed this the night before, the entire night before, and he still wasn't able to come to grips with it. Hell, neither was I, for that matter.

"Must you put so much emphasis on the "you" part?" I responded.

"Sorry man, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I was planning on asking _Angela._ This sucks!" he whined, shaking his head.

"You can still ask her. I'm going to ask Jessica again, though I'm a little in shock myself. Who knew Eddie here would be our stiffest competition." Mike joked.

"Wait, I thought you weren't going, Anthony." I wondered, as we entered the crowded lunch hall. The campus wasn't that large, but it seemed as if almost every student was crammed into the small room, doing more socializing than eating.

"Well…I _could_ use a study break. I'm sure one night of debauchery isn't going to taint my perfect GPA." Anthony gloated.

"Here we go." Mike sighed, grabbing a bright red tray from the counter.

"What? If you two stoutly gentlemen devoted as much time to your studies as you do to…well…I'm not exactly sure what it is that you _do_, but whatever it is, I'm sure it can be pushed aside for studying." He lectured, stopping to purchase an iced tea from the vending machine.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll see if all that studying taught you how to land a date." Mike joked, elbowing me lightly in the ribs.

"Shut up and find us somewhere to sit!" Anthony grimaced. It was always funny to listen to those two go back and forth. I was surprised at how short this "ribbing" session had been. They could go on for hours one-upping each other. I grabbed a burger and fries from the grilling station, and scanned the room for seats.

"Err...Bella Cullen is staring at you." Mike whispered.

I scanned the room impatiently, trying to locate her face. My heart dove forward, almost taking the burger and myself with it, once I found her. She was sitting at a small table, alone, in the center of the room; her beauty permeating the entire atmosphere. I watched as students nearby tried, and failed, not to look at her. There were really no words to describe the way her silky, brown hair flowed weightlessly around her angelic face. Her perfect lips upturned in to that beautiful, crooked smile. I watched dumbfounded, as she held up one slender, white finger and beckoned for me to come. My mind hesitated, but my heart seemed to leap forward with every bend of that finger. Common sense told me I should be afraid, but who can listen to reason in the face of such beauty.

"Is she calling _you_?" Mike breathed, with the slightest hint of jealousy. I frowned at the repeated used of emphasis. Was I really so much of a loser that no one could take interest in me? Sure, Bella Cullen was a little far-fetched, but was every other female out of my league too?

"Hurry up and get over there man!" Anthony whispered, nudging me in the back. I kept my eyes on her smiling face as my heart led the way. I wanted to walk more quickly, but I knew with me luck, that would land me face-first on the mint-green tiled floors. I held my head down and tried not to concentrate on the whispering students around me.

"Uhh…hi." I said, placing my food on the table but not sitting down. Apparently my brain was having trouble functioning.

"Hello! Please, have a sit." She sang, her melodic voice reeking havoc on the pace of my heart. _Be cool_, I told myself, not wanting to look like a complete idiot. I was careful to pull out the chair and sit slowly. She seemed to notice, and giggled softly.

"So…" I trailed off. It was hard to concentrate while looking into her face.

"So…what's this all about?" I mumbled, dropping my eyes to the table. She remained quiet and I raised my eyes to hers, trying to see what she was thinking. _Big mistake!_ My mind yelled as soon as I had done this. Her warm, topaz eyes were smoldering under the thick hood of lashes. I heard my breath, this time, coming in quick gasps. She looked away then, the smile still on her lips. I followed her gaze and saw her brothers and sisters sitting in a booth in the far corner of the room. They were all glaring at us, with the exception of Jasper, who bopped his head to a tune only he could hear. A chill slithered down my spine as I held their gaze momentarily then cowered away.

"I've decided since I'll be damned anyway, I might as well do it thoroughly." She smiled.

"Umm…what?" I asked, caught up in the tone of her voice.

"I thought I would have you for lunch." She crooned softly as she hesitantly leaned towards me. My only response was to stare at her blankly. I could barely understand what she had just said. Not that she hadn't spoken clearly, but this close, her face was dazzling and any attempt I made at thought simply fizzled quickly and died. Trying to look at her and have a coherent conversation was pointless.

"Err…come again." I stated, quickly looking away from her face. She laughed again, this time a little more audibly. I watched the faces of the students around me. Most of them appeared to be shocked that anyone was this close to her. The fact that no one ever seemed to interact with the Cullens had not escape my attention.

"I said…I'm tired of trying to stay away from you. From now on, I'll do whatever I feel and let the chips fall where they may." She gestured. I shook my head, trying to grasp what she was saying, knowing there was no possible way that she could mean it.

"Is that why you weren't in class…because of me?" I asked quietly, stuffing a fry in my mouth, trying not to glance at her face. It didn't work. The crooked smile had disappeared. Her full lips were drawn into a tight line as her eyes gazed somewhere in the distance. I watched several emotions play across her face before the smile settled back on her lips.

"That is neither here nor there." She finally responded. I was completely confused. I was still trying to wrap myself around what she had said a few moments ago. I couldn't understand how not even two weeks ago, she seemed to be ready to rip me to shreds and now she was saying that she was tired of staying away from me. I felt my brow knit together, as I rubbed the back of my neck absently.

"Please tell me what you're thinking." She stated, seeming aggravated that she had to ask.

"Well…honestly, I'm trying to figure you out. I mean, who are you...what are you?" I responded quietly, my eyes focused on the burger in front of me.

"I really wish you wouldn't try." She sighed, leaning back into the seat and placing her folded hands on the table. I stared at them, as she lightly rubbed circles across the back of one.

"Why not, it's not like _you're_ gonna tell me anything." I quipped.

"I tell you what you need to know." She responded, her warm eyes piercing into mine. There was a darkness behind them that frightened me however, it wasn't enough to turn me away form her exquisite face.

"It's cool. I'm a smart guy, I'll figure it out. Want one?" I mused, offering her a fry before popping it into my mouth.

"I'm not hungry…for the moment." she chuckled, apparently at a joke I didn't get. I couldn't take my eyes of her face, her lips, her chin, her nose. Everything about her was perfect. I was sure there was no chance in hell I could end up with someone like her. I felt my face fall slightly.

"Is everything ok? What are you thinking now?" she asked again.

"Oh umm, still trying to figure you out, I guess." I lied quickly. She didn't need to know about my wallowing in self-pity.

"Have you come up with anything?" She asked, resigned.

"Not really." I mumbled, keeping my eyes on her hands.

"You're a bad liar," she giggled, "you can tell me. I won't bite." She cooed, but a flash in her eyes told me that might not be true.

"It's nothing, really."

"Please, won't you tell me?" her velvety voice disrupted the signals in my brain. I made the mistake of looking up into her eyes and became even more dumbstruck. Those topaz pools, which now seemed to have darkened ever so slightly, were blazing under the thick fan of lashes. My heart raced erratically in my chest as I struggled to form an articulate phrase.

"Huh?" I finally managed, trying to blink myself out of the stupor.

"Tell me." She purred softly.

"Umm…daughter of an Amazon queen…lasso of truth...maybe some radioactive spiders…" I stammered.

"Ha! You're not very creative, are you?" She teased. I shook my head swiftly, gaining back a slight amount of brain power.

"Yeah, well, I'll get it right eventually." I warned her, biting into the cold hamburger.

"You really should just let it go."

"Why should I?" I asked, aggravated.

"Because…what if I'm not some super-hero? What if I'm the bad girl?" she smiled playfully, but her eyes were hard. I stared into them, remembering her dark scowl that first day in Biology, suddenly aware of the danger she'd hinted at.

"You're dangerous?" I asked, not wanting to believe it, but knowing its possibility. Her only response was to nod her head once.

"I see."

"Do you really?" she quizzed, her eyes flashing quickly.

"Maybe…you aren't bad though. I don't believe that." I said, wondering if that were true.

"You're wrong." She almost growled, her eyes darkening before me. Staring into them, it was hard to doubt her words, but my heart refused to believe that she could be dangerous. How could someone who had saved my life be dangerous? Even if it were true, I never felt danger when I was around her; just a yearning to be closer to her, like we were now.

"So…does this make us friends?" I changed the subject and watched as she tried to keep her lips from turning up into a smile.

"Friends?"

"Or not…whatever." I mumbled, the heat rising to my face.

"Perhaps we could try, although if you're smart, you'd leave me alone."

"Well, _you_ were the one who invited me over here." I pointed out.

"True, but had you been smarter, you would have ignored me." She smiled. I grimaced at the absurdity of her words. Who in this world could ignore her?

"So, I guess as long as I'm being dumb, we'll be friends?" I surmised.

"I guess…" she trailed off, turning to her siblings with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry to be rude, but I really must be going now." she said, her head still turned. My heart sank at the news.

"Seriously, this is getting old." I whispered with my chin in my chest. I lifted by head at the sound of her laughter. I don't think it was something you got used to. It sounded like sunrise.

"Until we meet again." She smiled, already out of her seat. I watched as she sauntered away, her movements both swift and agile.

"Yeah…sure." I sighed, staring at the remainder of my food. I didn't look up, but I could feel every eye in the room, ogling in my direction. My lips slowly spread into a huge smile as I thought of what had just happened.

"I'm the man!" I murmured to myself as a tossed in another fry.

yay! another one done! i hope u guys liked this...i hope it makes sense, lol. i always write these piece by piece and have to go and fill it in. i'm almost done with the next section so check back for an update soon...thanx for all the reviews...!

oh and read "paper airplanes" by hugs4dreamers...its one of my fav's!


	6. Legends

**hey hey! here's another one! it was supposed to be posted sooner but i kept adding and adding until i had to physically stop myself...lol. hope u like it.**

**please note...i own nothing, which explains why my bank account is missing so many .00000s**

* * *

"Alright! Today we start one of the most popular and intriguing sections of the course, myths and urban legends." Professor Banner stated with much enthusiasm. I continued to stare absently at my unopened textbook. I had heard this line from many a professor yet none of them had turned out to be true. I had to admit though, the topic seemed remotely interesting.

The fact that it was only Thursday made it harder for me to bring my mind under control. This week had to be the longest one of my life. I did not however, find it difficult to think of Bella. These days, she seemed to be the only thing I wanted to think of. I kept replaying our conversation in the cafeteria over and over in my mind. I knew it was lame that one real conversation with her would pretty much make my year, but it was the truth. I was still trying to figure out why she had thought it best for me to stay away form her.

If anything, all I wanted to do was be as close to her as possible. I truly couldn't understand why I was so into her, but it really didn't matter anymore. My heart had made the decision long before my brain had the chance to keep up. I sighed in frustration, resting my chin against my fist.

"Hey, don't look so bummed! I hear this section really is as good as he says." A female voice half whispered next to me. I turned to see an attractive girl with flawless copper skin, dark, almond shaped eyes and short, pitch black hair. Her small lips were pulled into a smile so friendly, despite how I was feeling, I couldn't help but smile in return.

"Hi, I'm Leah." She introduced, smiling wider than I thought was possible.

"Edward." I stammered, reaching out to shake her hand.

"Nice to meet you." She grinned, placing a slender hand in mine. The warmth of her thin fingers sent a wave of calm through my body, instantly causing me to feel at ease. I turned to face the front, giving the professor my attention.

"Ok, so our first legend is derived from a people I'm sure everyone here is familiar with, the Native American tribe of Quileutes from La Push. Now, don't you all get too sad, but I'm not giving the lecture today." Professor Banner said in his southern drawl. Around the room, students rejoiced in whispers and started putting their things away.

"Now, now! Calm down! I didn't say we weren't having a lecture, I simply said that I wouldn't' be giving it." He corrected, as the joy in the room quickly deflated.

"We have a student who is a direct descendent of the tribe, and she's going to tell us about the legend of "The Cold Ones"." He breathed as his voice and eyes darkened playfully at the term. There was a rustling in the seat next to me and I was surprised to see Leah making her way towards the front of the room. Her bone straight hair fluttered softly as she reached the podium.

"Hi, umm…my name is Leah Clearwater," she began shyly, "and as the professor said, I'm going to speak to you about the Cold Ones." She paused to clear her throat and continued.

"My people have many legends or superstitions, as I like to call them. Some of them claim to date all the way back to the time of Noah and the great flood. It is said that my ancestors tied their canoes to the treetops in order to survive. There are other stories that center on the ancestry of my tribe, such as those that claim we are the descendents of wolves, which is why it is against our laws to kill them, today." She paused again, searching the room with her wide eyes to see if she still held our attention.

"Then, there are the stories about the Cold ones." She almost whispered. Many students, including myself, leaned forward instinctively; a reaction to the mysterious tone that entered her voice.

"My great-grandfather, a tribal elder, met some of them and he was one who formed a treaty that kept them off our land."

"Why did he want to keep them away?" a blonde in the front row interrupted.

"Because the cold ones are our enemies; the natural enemy of the wolf…wells, that is, the wolves that turn into men. You call them werewolves."

I found myself gasping as my eyes widened. It wasn't that the idea of werewolves frightened me; it was more to do with the look that flashed into her eyes when she'd said it. Something that made me feel there was more to these legends than she let on. Others in the room must have felt this too, as many began to shift uncomfortably in their seats. Her lips turned up into a playful smile as she continued.

"So traditionally, the Cold Ones are our enemies, but the group that came to our territory during my great-grandfather's time claimed to be different. Supposedly, their hunting habits weren't the same as others of their kind; they weren't supposed to be dangerous. We still had to take precautions however, and so they made a truce with my grand-father. They promised to stay off our land and we agreed not to expose them."

"But why make a truce if they weren't dangerous?" the same girl asked, annoyed.

"It's a risk for humans to be around them, even if they were civilized like this group," she leaned forward, her hair creating a dark curtain around her face, "you never know when they might get too thirsty to resist." She breathed, staring at the girl in the front row, who in turn, shrank slowly down into her seat. Leah smiled at her warmly then, and winked.

"So what the hell is a Cold One?" a guy in the back asked, causing the room to erupt in laughter. Leah's eyes shifted quickly to the professor, who nodded in encouragement. She hung her head and lifted her eyes so that they were hooded by the dark lashes above them.

"Blood drinkers." She breathed, and the room swiftly fell silent. I shivered involuntarily as I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise. My eyes scanned the room as others seemed to have the same reaction.

"You…mean…vampires?" someone mumbled. Leah nodded her head slowly.

"Of course it's all just legends and superstitious mumbo-jumbo. I for one think my ancestors were bored and needed a way to entertain themselves. Story telling seems like a viable option." She remarked, waving her hand dismissively.

"So that's pretty much it, unless you guys have more questions." Leah concluded. It appeared as though every hand in the room shot up, including my own. Her cheeks flushed, pleased by the response of her classmates.

"Well, maybe I should have you lecture more often." Professor Banner joked, coming to rest his large hand on her shoulder.

"We'll pick up here tomorrow. You guys have a good evening and watch our for those Cold Ones." He said, lowering his voice again and laughing.

The class applauded as Leah swiftly went back to her seat to collect her things. I stood by my desk and waited for her.

"Wow, was it really that bad?" she asked, her eyes wide as she paused in front of me. I was so lost in thought, I wasn't conscious of the expressions on my face.

"Umm…well, to be honest, I thought it was very interesting. So…have you ever met one of these Cold Ones?"

"Me, no I've never _met_ one but…"she paused, scanning the room quickly.

"Let's get out of here first." She lowered her voice as she tugged my scarred arm. I followed her out of the classroom and down the stairs that led to the exit. Once we reached the paved walk-way outside, she stopped abruptly and turned to me.

"Do you know the Cullens?" she whispered, eyes flashing. Immediately my heart jumped at the name. I didn't know how to answer this question since I was sure having one conversation with someone, didn't qualify as knowing them.

"I know _of_ them…but what does that…"she pulled me by the arm again, cutting me off mid-sentence. She led me quickly to a secluded bench near the side of the building.

"Well, according to the legend, they're the ones who made the truce with my ancestors." She whispered again, leaning very closely to my face. I felt my eyes widen as my breath caught.

"So the kids here are their descendents…"I wondered out loud.

"No! They are the very same ones." My eyes stretched even more so as I attempted to swallow the lump in my throat.

"There are more now, a new girl and a new guy, but they are the same." I tried to ease the pace of my heart before it could affect my breathing. I repeated to myself that there was no need to panic, but it didn't keep me from doing just that.

"Like said, I don't believe any of it. I think they're cool stories to scare people with, but my family thinks otherwise. Do you know they still won't allow…"she let the sentence trail off, her eyes fixed on something behind me. The beats of my heart increased and my breath stopped all together as I turned to see the Cullens, all of them, seemingly floating by as they crossed the walk-way we had just left. My lips opened slightly as my gaze immediately focused on Bella, her waist-length mahogany hair swaying back and forth as she walked. Try as I might, I couldn't stop my heart from over-reacting the same way it did every time I saw her. I felt my breath quicken and I quickly tried to calm myself down.

"Hey, are you ok?" Leah asked, placing a warm hand on my arm. I nodded quickly, prying my eyes from Bella's face and focusing on a crack in the ground; hoping to catch my breath.

"I wonder what they're talking about." Leah whispered closer to my ear. I refused to lift my eyes before bringing my breathing under control. After several deep breaths, my heart slowed and approached its normal pace. I raised my eyes slowly to see the Cullen family talking amongst themselves. I wanted to get a better look at all of them but my eyes kept going back to Bella. Her pale skin shined, even in the overcast light. I stared at her lips, which seemed to move so rapidly, I wondered how they understood what she was saying.

"Hey, you wanna grab some food or something?" Leah interrupted my gazing.

"Umm…yeah, s-sure." I stammered, trying to blink myself back to Earth.

"There's this cool burger place around the corner." She said excitedly. I tried to match her enthusiasm, but the idea of leaving Bella's presence, even if her attention wasn't on me, only made my heart sink. I stood sluggishly, sighing to myself as a soft breeze rustled the trees around us. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts, that I didn't realize the strap of my bag had somehow wound itself around my ankle. I hadn't taken two steps forward before the strap caught and sent me sailing awkwardly to the ground.

"Shit!" I huffed, as I hit the concrete with a thud.

"Oh, Edward are you…"

"Edward!" An impossibly fascinating voice burned in my ear; it shouldn't have been so familiar. I lifted my eyes slowly, the beauty of her face shocking my heart. I tried to speak but the lump in my throat made it nearly impossible. How did she get over her so fast?

"Edward, are you alright?" my angel asked, worry clouding her perfect features.

"Umm…yeah, I'm good." I half smiled, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment. I slowly pushed myself up to a sitting position and laughed.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Leah chuckled, her eyes shifting between Bella and me nervously. I removed the strap from around my ankle and stood, dusting off my clothes.

"I'm fine, I just have an inner ear imbalance." I mumbled. It felt a little weird standing between the two of them. They both tried to focus their attention on me but couldn't seem to keep their eye from darting to each other.

"So I take it this happens more often than not." Leah remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"No comment." I replied, brushing the remaining bits of dirt off my jeans. She smiled her warm smile and laughed.

"Ok then, lets get out of here, the place isn't that far away from." She said, flipping her thumb in the opposite direction that I wanted to go. I turned to look at Bella, who was staring at me curiously, with warm those warm butterscotch colored eyes. Almost instantly, the pace of my heart double, thrumming so loudly I knew she had to hear it. Her soft lips pulled up into a crooked smile so dazzling, I nearly passed out.

"May I speak with you for a moment?" she asked, taking a few steps back. I crinkled my forehead in confusion, but agreed.

"Uhh…could you give me a sec?" I asked Leah. Her eyes widened as they traveled from my face to Bella's.

"Wait for me on the bench; it's ok." I laughed uneasily, trying to reassure her. She nodded her head slowly, looked at Bella again and turned to head back to the wooden bench. I inhaled deeply and turned to Bella.

"So…what can I do for you?" I asked calmly, determined not to embarrass myself any further.

"Well," she paused, trying to keep from smiling, "I was wondering if you weren't busy next Saturday, the day of the frat party…"

"Not you too!" I groaned, slapping my hand to my forehead. I felt the blood slowly creeping into my cheeks.

She stifled a giggle. "May I finish please?"

I threw my hands up in the air; I had no words. I was actually surprised that I wasn't hyperventilating. The absurdity of the idea that she was about to ask me out allowed my mind to keep my heart in check.

"Well, I heard you say that you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you needed a ride."

My jaw dropped.

"What!" The word came out like an exclamation.

"Would you like a ride to Seattle?"

"With who?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"Myself, obviously." She responded, seeming aggravated that I didn't know.

"W-why?" I stammered, the nervousness coming back.

"Well, I was planning on going myself and well, lets be honest, I don't think that truck of yours will make it." She replied with a smirk.

"First off, my truck is fine, but more importantly, how did you even know I had a truck?" I asked, feeling my heart rate pick up.

She shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "Does it really matter?"

Standing there, staring at her angelic face and smoldering eyes, I knew that it didn't. Noting mattered anymore, as my heart finally pushed my brain aside; pumping erratically in an attempt to prove that she was what mattered to me more than anything.

"Ok, I get it! Sheesh!" I mumbled to my chest.

"Do you always talk to yourself?" she laughed. I looked up quickly as my cheeks flushed, and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Only recently." I muttered. She shifted her weight as her narrowed eyes focused behind me.

"Your friend is quite impatient." I spun around quickly to see Leah standing by the bench, arms folded and one foot tapping the ground lightly. I had forgotten she was there.

"I better be going." I forced the words.

"Edward, you haven't answered my question." She mused, raising an eyebrow. I breathed slowly, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.

"Really, Bella." An unexpected chill swept through me as I said her name. "I don't get you. First you tell me we can't be friends and now you wanna drive me to Seattle?"

"I said it would be better if we weren't friends, not that I didn't want to be. In truth, it would be much more sensible for you not to be my friend, but I'm tired of trying to stay away from you.'' Her voice smoldered with that last sentence, pulling at the beat of my heart. I stared at the cracks in the ground trying to figure out what had brought on this sudden change. Not that I didn't like it, the ever increasing speed of my heart was proof of that, I just wished she would make up her mind. The flip-flopping emotions she brought out of me were exhausting.

"Edward, will you go with me to Seattle?" she purred, her angelic voice shattering my concentration. The blood rushed to my face as I lifted my eyes to hers. Her lips were drawn into a smile so beautiful, I forgot how to breathe.

"Will you?"

I nodded once, still unable to locate my lungs.

She smiled briefly. "You really should stay away from me," she warned, "I'll see you in class." She turned swiftly and walked back to her family. I watched them as everyone, except Jasper, kept their eyes glued to me.

"I thought you didn't know them." Leah suddenly appeared at my side, slightly annoyed.

"I don't…well, not really…she's my lab partner." I stammered, my gaze still directed at her family. My stomach turned as Jasper threw his arm over her shoulder. I knew he was her brother, but I couldn't help but feel a little envious that he was so close to her.

"They sure are pale." She remarked, following my gaze. My only response was to nod absently. This had been one strange day.

"Come on, let's go get some grub." Leah tugged on my arm, but didn't take her eyes off of them.

"Err…yeah…let's go."

* * *

By the time I got home, I was too keyed up to go to sleep. I told the guys I had a ton of homework to do. They were so wrapped up in the Basketball game on television that I was sure I would go undisturbed. Once in my room, I paced back and forth trying to get my head straight. I still couldn't wrap my mind around the day I'd just had. I marched to the stereo on top of my desk and pressed the power button. Instantly the room was filled with some rock song I'd never heard.

I flopped on top of my bed and fell back, letting my body sink into the firm mattress. I tried to concentrate on the lyrics of the song; anything to keep my mind off the stories Leah had told today. As the song came to an end, it was immediately followed by another. The thudding bass sent tiny vibrations through the floor and up the wooden legs on my bed, lulling me to sleep.

I opened my eyes at the sound of my name. I blinked rapidly, surprised to see that my room had become a dark green forest. I scrambled to my feet, searching through the darkening woods for the voice that had awoken me.

"Edward!" I jumped at the sound of Leah's voice behind me.

"Run!" she wailed, her dark eyes wide with fear.

"What…what's going on?" I asked, confused. She did not answer, but grabbed my arm and pulled me after her.

"Come on, man!" I recognized Mike's voice calling from head, but I couldn't see him. Leah's hand suddenly jerked away from me, as she fell to the forest floor, her body seizing wildly.

"Mike…she needs help." I yelled frantically, calling to him. I turned back to grab Leah but she was gone, replaced by a large grey wolf who lay in a crouched position facing the dense trees, defending me.

"Edward! Run!" Mike was still screaming behind me, but I couldn't move. My eyes were fixated on a soft glow that emanated from the trees.

And then Bella stepped out, her skin shimmering faintly, her eyes black and dangerous. She held up one hand and slowly beckoned for me to come. The crouched grey wolf at my feet snarled wildly, baring its long, sharp fangs.

I stepped forward then, and she smiled; her teeth white and pointed.

"Trust me." She cooed, and I took another step.

Quickly, the wolf launched himself across the space between me and Bella, aiming for the bulging veins on the side of her neck.

"Wait!" I screamed, wrenching myself upright in the bed.

I whipped my head back and forth in confusion until I finally realized it had all been a dream. I sat there, staring at the red numbers on the clock, as music continued to fill the room. I lazily pushed myself up and went to shut it off. I unbuttoned my jeans, letting them fall to the floor, and crawled back onto the bed, praying that sleep would find me.

I tossed and turned uncomfortably as the images kept returning to my mind. Restlessly, I finally sat up, knowing that sleep would not come. I flicked on the dull light of my table lamp and picked up the copy of _The Portrait of Dorian Grey_, which I was supposed to read for a class. I didn't get through five pages before I tossed it on the ground, aggravated. With every few words I had read, my mind had found a way to dredge up a corresponding image from the dream.

With a sigh, I pulled my laptop from the side table and clicked it on. Once loaded, I went to my favorite search engine and typed in _Vampire_. Of course the first things I found were mountains of useless information that didn't apply to anything I'd heard from Leah's story. Most of it was beyond ridiculous and I would have shut it down and tried my hand at sleeping again, if I hadn't seen that strange name, _Stregoni benefici_. I clicked here only to find a small description: Italian vampires on the side of goodness; mortal enemies of all bad vampires.

This had been the most positive reference I'd seen, but it still didn't help me out. The majority of what I'd found didn't coincide with the Quilieute legends or my own observations so I shut it down and placed it back on the table. I leaned back against the headboard, my arms crossed behind my head, laughing at how silly this all seemed. Did I really believe that the Cullens were vampires?

Could any of that garbage I'd heard today really be true? Well, it wasn't really garbage, but regardless, it wasn't possible, was it? I made myself focus on the question, and wondered to myself what else they could be if not this. I thought of what I knew about Bella: the strength and speed it took for her to exit her own vehicle and push me to safety, the eyes that shifted between onyx and amber, the pale, ice cold skin and inhuman beauty.

These things didn't make them vampires, but it sure made them something. So the only answer I had was maybe. I shifted uncomfortably in my bed, afraid that my mind had been teetering on the edge for so long that it had finally snapped. Now the only question to answer was what I would do if any of this turned out to be the truth. If Bella really was a "Cold One", what could I do? It seemed the only two real choices were to take her advice and keep my distance; to cancel our plans for Seattle and never go near her again, the idea of which immediately sent a surge of pain through my heart, or, I would change nothing.

After all, if she really was bad, she had saved me, which meant there had to be some sort of good in her. I groaned in frustration as my mind continued to create more questions than answers. The only thing I was sure of was the fact that the Bella of my dream had only been a reflection of the stories I had heard. Because when the wolf had launched itself at her, I did not cry out in fear of its safety, but rather I was afraid that Bella would be hurt; so there in laid my answer.

There was nothing I would or could do if Bella was a…because when I thought of her, those buttery topaz eyes, the mesmerizing smile and supple lips, there was nothing I wanted more than to see her right now; to gaze into her beautiful face and hear the melodic trilling of her voice.

"It's really and truly official…I have lost my mind." I muttered to myself as I staggered to my feet and headed for the bathroom.

Showers were easier now that my arms were almost fully healed. The wounds had left behind numerous scars and my head still hurt occasionally, but for the most part, I was back to normal. I washed quickly, hoping to have enough time to grab a bite to eat, and still find parking when I made it to campus. Carefully, I stepped from the shower, toweled off and brushed my teeth. I quickly ran my fingers through my wet hair and headed for my room, whistling along the way.

"My, aren't we chipper this morning." Mike yawned as he emerged from his doorframe.

I shrugged my shoulders and kept walking. Back in the room, I pulled on my favorite navy polo, a pair of jeans and grey sneakers. For the first time, as thoughts of Bella swam into my psyche, I forced myself to suppress them. This had been a little more painful than I'd expected but I was worried that thinking of her would bring up Leah's stories and the dream I'd had. I didn't want to dwell on anything that might make me afraid of her or cause me to change my mind. I had chosen the path I would take. Not that there had ever really been a choice; I knew that the day I left the hospital. I had taken the little I'd learned of Bella, true or false, and decided that none of it matter, so long as I could be near her. It was not the best choice, it was the only choice.

"Hey, what are you doing after class today?" Anthony asked as I entered our small kitchen. The scent of fried bacon and eggs wafted through my nose.

"Not much; don't really have any plans." I responded as I grabbed my favorite bowl from the faded blue cabinet. I rifled through a number of empty cereal boxes until I found one that was at least half full.

"We're planning on driving up to Port Angeles and checking out some stores. I need a new shirt for the party." He said with a smirk.

"Didn't you just buy some shirts last week? Wear one of those." I mumbled through a mouth full of cereal. He grimaced at the suggestion, shaking his head back and forth.

"No way dude! I already wore those. I need something fresh!" he remarked, downing a large glass of orange juice.

"Fresh for what?" Mike question, suddenly appearing behind me.

"That stupid frat party." I mumbled again.

"Aww man, it doesn't matter how fresh your shirt is; it still won't help you get a date." Mike joked, snatching a slice of bacon from Anthony's almost empty plate.

"Shut up, Mike. The last time I checked, you didn't have a date either."

"Yeah well, you should have checked again 'cuz unlike you, lonesome dove, I will not be attending this event stag!" he boasted as he licked the tips of his fingers and used them to smooth out his eyebrows. I tried to keep from choking as I attempted to swallow and laugh at the same time.

"Oh really? So who are you going with and how much did you pay her?" I interjected.

"I am appalled! How dare you accuse me of such a thing!" he gasped, feigning surprise.

"It wouldn't be the first time." Anthony muttered.

"Well, if you must know," he began with a scowl, "I owe it all to good old Edward here, for giving Jess the axe. Sure she only said yes 'cuz he said no, but hey, a pity date is still a date." He explained, adjusting the collar on his striped shirt; apparently a signal that no dignity had been lost on his behalf. I just shook my head in wonder. You had to give it to him; he was nothing if not persistent. I was sure one of these days his tenacity with the ladies would pay off but I wasn't placing bets any time soon.

"I guess I'm the odd man out!" Anthony remarked, shocked.

"Well, you could always go ahead and try your hand with Angela, unless you got a problem with leftovers." Mike suggested, laughing to himself. Anthony made a face and polished off the rest of his breakfast. I hurriedly finished my cereal and was more than ready to go. I washed out the bowl and placed it in the dishwasher to dry.

"Mind if I bum a ride with you?" Mike asked, slapping me lightly on the back. This question was a surprise. Normally the two of them almost had a stroke whenever I offered them a ride in my old pick-up. Yes it was a few years old, well, that was putting it mildly but I didn't see anything wrong with a little aging. I loved my truck.

"Umm, yeah but why?" I hesitated, knowing he was up to something.

"What, can't a guy spend some quality time with his best bud?"

"Right. Just get your stuff and come on." I responded, turning to retrieve my bag from the counter.

"Hey, don't forget about this afternoon, try and get home by five." Anthony called as we left the apartment. I didn't recall agreeing to go on his little escapade but somehow I knew I would be. This seemed like one of those rare occasions where he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"So…what's the deal with you and Ms. Cullen?" Mike inquired as soon as we reached the truck. I shook my head in laughter.

"Man, you couldn't even wait until we got in the car. I knew it had to be something 'cuz you never ride in this thing voluntarily." I remarked as I unlocked the door and hopped inside. I laughed again as Mike jumped at the start of the engine.

"Dude, this really is a piece of junk. Why don't you just get rid of this thing; better yet, why don't you tell me what's going on with you and Bella."

"Wow, I'm confused as to what one of those questions has to do with the other.' I chuckled.

"Nothing at all," he shrugged, "I just don't like beating around the bush, but it's pretty obvious that you don't mind a few shrubs here and there."

"Look, nothing is going on with us, ok? She just had a couple of questions about Biology class." I lied unconvincingly.

"Right and she would be asking you because of that awesome "C" average you're maintaining! Ok, I get it now." He joked.

"Oh shut up! She asked me because I'm her lab partner." I scowled, trying to keep my attention focused on the road.

"That's all fine and good man, but I know that conversation had nothing to do with science."

"Ok, well if you know so much, why don't you tell me what we were talking about?" I suggested.

"No thanks, but I will tell you that you are one lucky S.O.B. Did you see how practically the whole cafeteria was staring at you guys?"

"I wasn't really paying attention." I mumbled, neglecting to mention that it was impossible to pay attention to anything else when I was in her presence.

"Man! I don't think I've ever seen her, or her siblings for that matter, talk to anyone outside their little family circle. Most people try and steer clear of them but it's just so hard not to stare; they all seem so…err…"

"Beautiful?"

"Well…yeah…It's almost like you get hypnotized. For some reason, your mind screams for you to get the hell out of there, but the rest of your body won't comply."

"Yeah, but it must not be that bad to you…you asked Bella out, right?"

"I wouldn't call what I did asking her out. It was more a combination of staring and mumbling and staring some more and then walking away swiftly to find a rock to hide under." He finally explained. I was pleased to see that I wasn't the only one who had had this sort of reaction to her.

"It's kind of weird if you ask me." He sighed, scratching his head.

"Weird." I agreed.

* * *

The rest of the morning went by pretty quickly. I was surprised to find that classes went by faster if I actually paid attention instead of daydreaming. Of course my thoughts didn't always stay in place, but I tried to keep them as focused as possible. I knew if I thought of Bella, it would only make me want to see her; something that only seemed to happen on days we had class together.

"Edward! Hey!" Angela called as I leaving the school library. I had decided to do a little more research on Vampires, but quit shortly after as I found no new information.

"How's it going?" she breathed, winded after she finally caught up to me.

"Pretty good, I guess. How are things with you?"

"Things are cool. So umm…I heard that you and Bella Cullen are…you know…" she trailed off, waving her hand nonchalantly.

"Huh?" I furrowed my brow in confusion. Had the gossip mill really been that hard at work?

"Well…a lot of people are saying that you and Bella…are…together." She stared at the ground and fiddled with her hands while saying this.

"Don't believe everything you hear." I laughed as I patted her on the back. Funny how people never seemed to follow their own advice.

"So it's not true, then?" The hope was thick in her voice.

"Don't be silly, Angela. Why would she ever go out with me when…well, it doesn't really matter. Bella and I are just friends." I stammered.

"So you're not taking her to the dance then?"

"Ange', I told you I'm not going." I sighed, wishing I had made myself clearer the first time. I felt a little guilty as her face fell the tiniest bit. It didn't make me change my mind.

"No problem, I was just wondering." She said quietly, and then added, "You have any plans for tonight?"

"Yeah. Me and the guys are heading out to Port Angeles."

"Oh ok…well, hey…could you do me a favor and tell Anthony to give me a call." She asked, looking down at the ground again.

"Sure, no problem. I'll see you later ok?" I smiled, rubbing her arm lightly.

"Later, Edward." She smiled back.

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OKIDAY. again, i hope this made sense; most of this was typed in my sidekick! i didn't want this chapter to end here, but i was tired of typing :) please let me know what you think!

**the next chapter (based on port angeles) might take a little longer...i really want it to be good so please be patient...thanks so much for all the reviews!**


	7. Port Angeles I

**Okiday! I'm so sorry this took so long...I've had a bizillion things going thru my mind and haven't been able to concentrate on just one. I decided to split this into two sections because i felt so bad that i was taking so long to update! **

**Again...Stephenie owns all; **

**ENJOY!**

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The drive to Port Angeles wasn't long, and with Anthony's lead foot, the trip was even shorter. My efforts to take a nap along the way had been in vain as the two of them refused to let any semblance of silence enter the vehicle. Realizing that fact, I decided I might as well enjoy the drive and take part in the conversation. Anthony was excited that he had a date and surprised Mike and I both when he admitted that he'd had a crush on Angela for a while. This was news to me as he'd always seemed to ignore her when she was around. He claimed it was because he wanted her to see him as "dark and mysterious", to which Mike pointed out that she hadn't _seen_ him at all.

I had to admit that I was enjoying myself. Port Angeles was a beautiful area, and the bright orange sun shining through the clear blue skies made it even better. I would have liked to take a walk along the boardwalk by the bay but the guys insisted on heading straight for the large department store.

"So tell me Eddie, when was the last time you went on a date." Anthony smirked, sharing a quick glance with Mike. Somehow, no matter what we were talking about, my social life always found its way in the conversation.

"I'm sure you already know the answer to that." I grimaced.

"You're right, it was about six months ago." He laughed, pulling another shirt from the round-rack. I was so used to his by now, so I just shook my head and laughed with him.

"Why is that Eddie? I mean, it can't be because you can't _find_ a date. I mean, you turned down two in one week." Mike remarked, standing in front of the mirror and holding up several shirts to his chest.

"I don't know, I guess I just haven't met anyone that interests me." Until recently.

"I think he's holding out for Bella." Anthony laughed again. As usual, the blood rushed to my cheeks at the mention of her name. I rubbed the back of my neck as I tried to keep from smiling.

"I wouldn't say that I'm holding out for her. Is it my fault that there aren't any interesting girls around?"

"Yeah, but how do you expect to find out how interesting someone is if you don't talk to them?" This was surprisingly a valid question. I guess the truest answer was because I always got the feeling that girls just didn't want to talk to me. The times that I had got up the courage to smile at someone or show them I was interested, I always got the "you must be crazy" look.

"For the record, I have tried to talk to them. Can I help it if they don't talk back?"

"Well, that's funny cuz I hear it's the other way around." Mike joked. My eyes widened in shock.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, girls are always asking me why your so shy and why you brush them off whenever they try and talk to you." He explained.

This threw me for a loop. I tried to remember the times girls had initiated conversations with me. The only ones I could think of were in class where they would ask to borrow a pen or a piece of paper; or if they had missed class, they would sometimes as to see my notes.

"Mike, I don't think asking for a pen qualifies as talking to me. Besides, I don't know much about ballpoint pens so I'm sure the conversation wouldn't get too far."

"Smart ass!" Anthony hissed from behind a shelf of jeans. Mike shook his head and laughed. "I'm gonna go at some sneakers."

"Hey Eddie, why don't you help me find a tie." Anthony called as I was turning to follow Mike.

"A tie? Why do you need a tied for a frat party?"

"Its not for the party genius, it's for a meeting I have. Just come and help me find one." He laughed, throwing his arm around my neck and tugging me along. I knew he was up to something because I didn't know anything about ties; I hadn't worn one a day in my life, a fact I'm sure he was aware of. I decided to keep quiet and see how long it would take for him to start the questions. I browsed through the section of striped ties, pretending as if I were really interested in finding a good one.

"So…Edward, tell me. What is really going on with you and Ms. Cullen." It had taken him less time than I thought. I shook my head and laughed.

"I keep telling you guys, we're just…friends." My brows pulled together, struggling to say the word for the first time.

"Friends, huh? So you wouldn't mind if someone were to ask her out. You know, someone like me?" he questioned innocently, alternating two ties as he held them up to his neck in front of the wall mirror.

I just stared at him, as I felt the heat rising within my body, quickening my pulse. I had not right to be angry. I had never really told him or Mike how I'd felt about her, but that didn't stop me from wanting to strangle him for even thinking of such a thing. I let my eyes fall to the ugly, brown carpeted floor as I gave myself a chance to cool down.

"Well…no, I guess not." I responded quietly, not lifting my eyes. He burst into a fit in laughter, slapping the ties against the small, wooden shelf, almost knocking it to the ground.

"What's so funny?" I was confused by his reaction.

"You man, you're such a bull-shitter!" he wailed, still laughing loudly.

"What?"

"Man, you should have seen your face. You looked like you had seen a ghost, I've never seen you so pale."

"Whatever man, I don't know what you're talking about." I mumbled, my face getting hotter by the second.

"If you don't know, then why is your face so red?" My hands quickly flew up to my cheeks, immediately feeling the heat.

"I told you before; you're too emotional; your face gives everything away. You gotta learn how to control yourself, man." He commanded, balling his hands into fists. I had heard this criticism before, so many times as a kid, from my dad.

"So tell me the truth, do you like this girl or what?" He was serious now, as he came to stand in front of me. I wished he would just let it go, but I knew as long as I remained "mum" on the subject, he would keep badgering me.

"I don't know, she's ok I guess." Again, the blood rushed to my face.

"That would be a yes!" he smiled, squeezing my shoulder.

"Here's what you need to do…" he began, quickly rambling off suggestions on what I should do to get her to go out with me. I laughed and tuned him out because he had had just about as many dates as I did, which obviously meant there were some holes in his program.

Somehow between the talking and laughing at me, he'd managed to find three ties, four shirts and two pairs of jeans; all of which he purchased. I never said anything, but I sometimes thought his love of shopping rivaled that of most females. Once he was sure he had everything, we made our way down to the men's shoe department and found an empty handed Mike, talking to one of the sales clerks.

"Man, you haven't found anything yet?" Anthony sighed, as we reached Mike's side.

"I've been a little pre-occupied." He mumbled under his breath.

"Ok, we'll wait for you outside." Anthony told him as we headed for the exit. We were almost to the door when Mike called for us to wait up.

"Man, I gotta work out more." He huffed, stopping to catch his breath. We had planned on grabbing some food at a small Italian restaurant on the boardwalk, but the hung for shirts hadn't taken as long as we'd expected. The guys were going to take their clothes back to the car and then head towards the bay; probably to look for girls. I wasn't that interested in tagging along so I told them I'd meet them at the restaurant in an hour or so; I wanted to stop by a bookstore I had seen. Of course they weren't interested in checking out books so I didn't have to waste time trying to convince them not to come.

I was sad to see that the bookstore wasn't what I was looking for. The crystal and dreamcatchers in the window were clear signs for me to move it along. I knew there had to be a descent bookstore somewhere around here, so I followed the direction of the traffic, hoping it would lead me downtown. As usual, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going; staring at the colors of the setting sun on the horizon had me thinking of Bella. Were my feelings for her really that obvious, I wondered. I thought I had done a pretty good job of keeping them concealed, even if my heart did try to undermine all of my efforts.

I knew she didn't know how I felt; how could she? Other than the few talks we'd had, if you could them such, she'd barely said two words to me. This was all the more reason why I was utterly stunned when she had offered to drive me to Seattle. I stopped in my tracks, my face sullen as I realized it had to be some sort of practical joke. Why else would she waste her time on me?

With a bowed head, I trudged along south, toward some glass fronted shops that looked promising. I sighed to myself when I arrived in front of them and saw they were merely repair shops and vacant space. I still had a lot of time left before I had to meet the guys, so I tried to get my bearings straight before I headed around the corner.

I had already crossed another street by the time I noticed I was going in the wrong direction. All the people I had seen before were now heading north and the remainder of the buildings seemed to be mostly warehouses. This was definitely one of those times I wished I had one of those handy GPS devices. With no one around to ask, I decided to turn east at the next corner, and then loop around after a few blocks and try my hand at a different route. A group of four guys came around the corner I was headed for. I figured they weren't tourists by the way they were dressed, but something about them told me not to ask for directions. I moved to the far side of the pavement to give them room to pass.

"Hey there! Those are some nice sneakers." One of them turned to me and yelled.

"Thanks." I mumbled, trying to pick up my pace. I ended up on a sidewalk that lead me past the back of numerous, dully colored warehouses. I glanced across the street, searching for a store or shop I could step into, but there was only a chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, protecting a storage yard. I stopped and peered up and down the street, thinking maybe there was someone I could get directions from. A dark blue van roared past me, and then the road was empty. I sighed heavily as the sky darkened and glanced over my shoulder.

Two men were walking quietly behind me. They were from the same group I'd seen before, but none of them were the one who had spoken to me. I took a deep breath, turned my head forward and walked quickly. I was not a fighter, but I knew if it came down to it, I could take at least one of them. That is, if al four didn't attack at the same time. I tried to remember some karate moves I had learn in the eight grade.

"Yeah, right." I chuckled darkly to myself.

I listened for footsteps behind me, but heard none. At least they weren't getting closer. I focused on the right hand turn I saw coming up in front of me. I thought of running, but I knew this would only land me face first on the rough concrete. A tan car turned onto the street from the south and sped quickly past me. A thought had crossed my mind to jump in front of it, but my reflexes were slow and then it was too late.

I reached the corner then, but a quick glance told me it was juts another row of empty buildings. I threw up my hand in frustration. How the hell was I going to get out of this maze? I shook my head in defeat and move along up the sidewalk. I listened to see if those guys were still behind me. I barely heard there footsteps now, which meant they were probably further back. A quick glance over my shoulder verified this however; both of them were staring at me.

A wave of uneasiness washed over me as I realized I had no idea where I was and no idea how to get where I needed to be. I faced forward and walked faster, praying that a different turn I saw up ahead would lead me back towards the boardwalk. I picked up my pace then, and almost ran for it. I reached the street and turned, only to find another long row of indistinct warehouses. I moaned heavily as I decided to see where this road would take me.

I stopped abruptly when I heard the sound of laughter, not so far in the distance. I peered down the long corridor in time to see two of the men step out into the road. Almost immediately, I heard the sharp tap of footsteps behind me. I jerked my head around, feeling my stomach sink as I recognized the other two men who had just been walking I thought was a safe distance away from me..

"Hey, hey! Where you going, kid?" One of them called out. I swallowed hard as I noticed the baseball bat that had suddenly appeared in his hands. Again I heard the wild laughter of the two men in front of me. I swirled around, bewildered; they had gotten closer.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" The one with the bat shouted. I jerked by head back and forth between the two groups, afraid to turn my back on either completely. My heart was racing in my chest as adrenaline surged through my body. I knew I could take a least one of them, but I also knew it would take nothing short of a miracle for me to make it out of here alive.

I turned my body sideways in order two see both groups of men approach simultaneously. My feet were planted firmly to the ground as I balled my hands into fists; preparing for the fight of my life.

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**Sorry i had to make this sort of a cliffhanger! i figured it was the best place to stop since i haven't quite finished.**

**I dont know...i think this chapter was harder to write because i couldn't decide if i wanted to follow the events of the book or make up something totally different. As you see, i finally decided to stick with the book...sort of :)**

**Please Read and Reveiw and thanks again for everyone who's taken the time to read it!**


	8. Port Angeles II

**ok...so apparently this section is going to be 3 parts...sorry, i've been a little busy working on this on the other stories...but again, like the other's i'm thinking of calling it quits on this one.**

**There seems to be ppl who read the stories, but don't review, so i naturally assume no one's really feelin' it (which is y i dont update soon). i dont know...maybe ppl want me to update more often?? or maybe its not good enough? again, je ne sais pas et yo no se'...**

**so...i would like to get at least 10 reviews over the next 2-3 days. if not, i'm going ot finish this chapter out and maybe skip to the "meadow" and then call it quits!! sorry 2 those of u who enjoyed it! i really enjoyed writing it!!**

**steph own characters (Steph if ur reading, please finish and release midnight sun!! we love u)**

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PORT ANGELES II

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion; the two groups of men, who before had been approaching slowly, suddenly started running towards me. I forced myself not to panic, twisting my head back and forth frantically as I judged my next move.

"Wait for it…" I mumbled under my breath.

They were close now; only a few feet away. I hesitated a moment longer, until they were inches from my side then dove forward; causing them to crash full speed into each other. I scampered to the other side of the street and rolled quickly onto my back. All but one of them-the one with the bat, of course-had fallen to the ground. He was glowering at me, his burly chest heaving up and down spastically.

"You little prick! You're gonna pay for that!"

I scrambled to my feet as he raced towards me holding the bat above his head. Again, I steadied myself, waiting until he was almost directly in front of me. Quickly, I stepped to the left (to the left, sorry, i couldn't resist! :) and stuck my foot out, tripping him. He sailed into the concrete wall of the warehouse behind me, dropping the bat. By then, his "friends" had gotten to their feet, angry and ready to back him up. This time, their approach was slow and steady.

"Hey man, we just want to talk to you. Why are you making this so difficult?" one of them joked, baring his crooked, yellow teeth.

"Why don't you leave me the hell alone!" I yelled. I was backing away from them, not paying attention to where I was going. I hadn't realized I was walking into a dead-end until my back hit the cool wall of a dingy warehouse. They all smiled now; maybe this had been part of their plan.

"Aww, he looks like a trapped rat." It was the one with the bat again, his beady eyes filled with malice as he stood behind the others. My heart was pounding in my ears as I whipped my head around, desperately searching for a way out.

As if on cue, headlights suddenly flew around the corner. The car almost hit the burly one, forcing him to jump towards the sidewalk. The rest of them followed suit. I leaped forward into the road; this car was going to either stop or run me over. I didn't care; it wouldn't be the first time I was nearly hit. The blood-red car fishtailed around, skidding to a stop with the passenger door open just a few feet in front of me.

"Get in!" A beautifully furious voice commanded.

It was weird how the fear had quickly dissipated, replaced by feelings of anxiousness. It seemed strange how just hearing her voice caused my already shocked heart to double its rhythm. I leaped into the car without hesitation, slamming the door behind me. It was dark inside, except for the faint glow from the dashboard. I could barely see her face. The tires squealed as she accelerated quickly, spinning the car around and swerving towards the stunned men on the street. I whipped my head around to glimpse the group of guys, staring after us in confusion. I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at them. A smile spread slowly across my face as I turned around and gazed out the window.

"Put your seatbelt on." She commanded; her voice was as hard as her eyes had been that day in Biology. I stared at her then, seeing only the profile of her beautiful face in the darkness. The reality of what had almost happened began to sink in, leaving me too stunned to move.

"Put it on!" she enunciated every word carefully. I moved quickly to fasten the belt, afraid to hear that harshness in her voice again. She took a sharp left, racing forward, blowing through every stop signs without the slightest pause. I gazed at her face, and then out the window as the scenery rushed by in a blur of blackness. I waited for my heart to slow down before I turned back to her. I studied her expression in the limited light. It wasn't very clear, but I could see enough to know that she was livid.

"Are you okay?" I didn't recognize my voice. There was a hoarseness there that caused my words to break.

"No." she breathed, her angelic voice seething with anger. I sat in silence, watching her face while her scorching eyes stared ahead.

The car stopped suddenly.

I peered through the window, seeing nothing but the vague outline of trees in the blackness. We weren't in town anymore.

"Edward?" She asked, her voice was tight, controlled. But still my heart leaped at the sound of my name on her lips.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?" She did not turn to me as she asked this, but the fury was plain on her face, even in the dark.

"I'm…fine." I paused, so that the words would be true.

"Distract me, please."

"Huh?"

She exhaled sharply. "Just prattle about something insignificant until I calm down." She clarified, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. Adorable.

I searched my brain for something trivial.

"Well…I may have to strangle Angela." I breathed, with narrowed eyes. She was still squeezing hers closed, but the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

"Why?"

"Apparently she's become delusional and is telling people that I'm taking her to the Spring Formal. Honestly, I keep telling her I'm only interested in being her friend, and besides that, the idea of me at any event that involves the moving of feet at a pace faster than walking is beyond ridiculous." I rambled.

"Hmmm, I heard about that." Her voice as a little softer now.

"You heard? That chick is crazy."

Bella sighed, and finally opened her eyes.

"Better?"

"No, not really."

I watched as she pressed her head back against the seat, staring at the ceiling of the car. Her angelic face was rigid.

"Is everything ok?" I wanted to reach out and stroke the smooth skin of her cheek, but something told me this might not be the best idea.

"Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Edward." She whispered, as she turned to stare out the window. Her scorching eyes narrowed into slits. "But it wouldn't be helpful for me to turn around and hunt down those…" her voice trailed off as she struggled to control her anger.

"At least that's what I keep telling myself." She breathed. I didn't know how to answer that so I nodded and remained silent. I glanced at the clock on the sleek, wood-grained dashboard. It was past seven.

"Mike and Anthony are going to be looking for me." I murmured, not wanting to leave her presence. "I'm supposed to meet them." She started the engine without a word, turning around smoothly and speeding back towards the town. I stared at her, marveling at how she handled the vehicle with such ease. She was definitely my kind of girl.

We were back under the streetlights of Port Angeles in no time; still driving too fast, but I didn't mind. We weaved smoothly through the traffic that cruised along the boardwalk. She parallel-parked in a space that seemed much too small, even for a Romeo, but she slid in effortlessly in one try. I peered out the window and saw the lights of La Bella Italia, and Mike and Anthony pacing anxiously away.

"How the hell did you…" I began, but just shook my head. I heard the door open and turned to see her stepping out.

"Err, what are you doing?"

"We're going to dinner." She grabbed something from behind the seat and slammed the door. My heart-rate soared as I fumbled with the seat belt and got out of the car. She was already waiting for me on the sidewalk.

"Go stop Mike and Anthony before I have to track them down too. I'm not sure I could restrain myself if I ran into your other friends again." Her eyes narrowed as she spoke the last portion of the sentence through her teeth. I wasn't sure what was going on, but the hardness of her voice told me I should comply.

"Hey, guys." I called after them, waving as they turned. They jogged over to me, the strong relief in their faces quickly morphing into shock as they noticed who I was with. They stopped then, hesitating a few feet away from us.

"Man, what took you so long?" Mike asked, his wide eyes darting to Bella and then to me.

"I got lost, then I ran into Bella." I flipped my thumb towards her.

"Would it be alright if I joined you?" She asked in a silky, irresistible voice. My heart stuttered.

"Err…" Mike was dumbfounded.

"Oh, we already ate while we were waiting. Sorry man, you know how it is." Anthony shrugged, rubbing his stomach.

"You should eat." She commanded in a low voice. She looked up at Mike and spoke slightly louder.

"Do you mind if I drive Edward home tonight?"

It was all I could do to keep from passing out right then and there. I wasn't sure how much more of her my body could handle.

"Ummm…no problem, I guess…" He answered with shocked eyes, stunned by her request. I shrugged my shoulders and nodded, pretending it was no big deal.

"Cool." Anthony knew how much I wanted to be with her, even if I never spoke the words.

"See ya later, man." He tapped Mike's shoulder, a signal that it was ok to leave. They turned then and walked towards the car, which I could see up ahead, parked across First Street. As they got in, Anthony turned and gave me the thumbs up sign. I rubbed the back of my neck as my cheeks reddened. I really hoped she wasn't looking.

"Ready?" She asked, her voice still not back to normal. I shrugged but said nothing; afraid that the anxiety I was feeling would cause my voice to crack. I watched as she walked to the door of the restaurant and paused, turning to look at me. I sighed heavily and dragged my body slightly in front of her, pulling the door open.

It was the off-season in the tourist town of Port Angeles, so the restaurant wasn't crowded. There was a male host standing at the front, and though I understood the look in his eyes as he assessed Bella, I still didn't like it. He welcomed her a little more warmly than necessary. He was several inches taller than I was and about 30lbs., of muscle, bigger.

"A table for two." Her angelic voice was alluring, whether she was aiming for that or not. The host's eyes flickered to me and away. He smirked, satisfied that I was clearly no competition for him. He led us to a table big enough for four in the center of the most crowded area of the dining room. I didn't like it, but I began pulling out her chair anyway, until she shook her head at me.

"Perhaps something more private?" she insisted quietly, smiling the beautifully crooked smile.

"S-sure." He stammered, stunned as I had been the first time I'd seen it. He turned and led us around a partition to a small ring of booths- all of them empty.

"This ok?"

"Perfect." She flashed that smile again.

"R-right..." he shook his head, blinking quickly, "your server will be right out." He walked away, tripping over an invisible lift in the ground.

"That's unfair, you know." I mumbled.

"What?"

"The way you dazzle people, or maybe I should say frazzle. I'm sure that guy is wishing he had an inhaler right now."

She seemed confused.

"Come on, I'm _sure _you know the effect you have on people." She crinkled her nose and tilted her head to the side. "I dazzle, frazzle people?"

"You haven't noticed?"

"Do I dazzle you?"

I paused before answering this, unsure if I really wanted her to know.

"Frequently." I finally admitted.

Our server arrived then, his face expectant. He straightened his collar and smiled with unnecessary warmth. I could tell this was going to be a slightly irritating dinner.

"Hello. My name is Andrew and I'll be serving you tonight. What can I get you to drink?" I didn't miss that he was speaking only to her. Why was this bothering me so much?

Bella looked at me.

"Pepsi."

"Two Pepsis." She corrected.

"I'll be right back with those." He said with another unnecessary smile. She didn't see it. She was watching me.

"What?" I asked after he'd left.

"How are you feeling?" her eyes were fixed on mine.

"I'm fine" I mumbled, surprised by her intensity.

"You don't feel dizzy, sick, cold…?"

"Umm…should I?"

She laughed quietly.

"Well, I'm kind of waiting for you to go into shock." Her full lips twisted into that perfect, crooked smile.

"Umm, I'm pretty sure that won't happen." I replied, leaving out the fact that her presence was the only thing that could get that sort of reaction from me.

"Just the same, I'll feel better when you have some food in you."

As if on cue,_ Andrew_ appeared with our drinks and a basket of breadsticks. He stood with his back to me as he placed them on the table.

"Are you ready to order?" he asked Bella.

"Edward?" she asked. He slowly turned towards me with a smirk. I ordered the first thing I saw on the menu while resisting the urge to punch him in the face. "I'll take the Chicken Alfredo."

"And for you?" He turned back to her with a smile.

"Nothing for me."

"Let me know if you change your mind." His slick smile was still in place, but she wasn't looking at him, and he left the table dissatisfied.

"Drink." She ordered, her tone a little more playful.

I smiled sheepishly and sipped the soda, and then drank more deeply, surprised by how thirsty I was. It wasn't until she pushed the second glass towards me, that I noticed I had finished the whole thing.

"Thanks." I mumbled, still thirsty. The cold from the icy soda was radiating through my chest, and I shivered.

"Are you cold?"

"Nah, it's just the drinks." I explained.

"Don't you have a jacket?" Her voice was a little disapproving.

"Yeah." I looked at the empty bench next to me. "Oh, I must have left it in the car."

Bella slowly reached for something next to her. I watched the brown waves of hair fall across her shoulder, resting softly against the light blue v-neck sweater she wore. I had never really paid much attention to her clothing before; I was always distracted by her face. Now though, it seemed I couldn't take my eyes off the way the snug sweater hugged the soft curves of her body.

"Put this on." She handed me a dark blue, leather jacket, interrupting my ogling.

"Umm, thanks." I said, sliding my arms into the jacket nervously.

"Don't worry, it's not mine. I keep an extra one in the car for my brother. He's a little forgetful." She explained.

I nodded and continued to push my arms through. It was cold; the way my jacket felt when I first picked it up in the morning, hanging in the drafty hallway. A shiver trickled down my spine again. It smelled amazing. I inhaled discreetly, trying to identify the enticing scent. It wasn't like anything I'd smelled before.

"That color looks nice against your skin." She said, watching me. I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks.

She pushed the bread basket towards me.

"I'm fine…I promise. I'm not gonna go into shock." This surprised me, since normally her presence would have me hyperventilating by now. Maybe I was getting used her.

"You should be shocked; a normal person would be. You don't even look shaken." Her voice was unsettled. I returned the gaze as she stared into my eyes. I noticed how light hers were, lighter than I'd ever seen them, golden butterscotch.

"Honestly, being around you is more nerve-racking than that was," her eyes narrowed a bit as I spoke, "but even so, I like being with you. I feel…alive when I'm with you." I confessed, mesmerized into telling the truth, though I hadn't realized the certainty of it until I'd spoken the words. Which was strange because almost every time I'd been with her, a near-death experience had been involved.

This seemed to displease her; her brow furrowed as she shook her head and frowned.

"This is more complicated than I'd planned." She murmured to herself. I shrugged, picked up a breadstick and bit off the end as I measured her expression. There were a lot of things I wanted to ask her, but I wasn't sure if this was the right time.

"You're usually a little nicer when your eyes are that color." I commented, trying to distract her from whatever had left frowning and somber.

She stared at me, stunned. "What?"

"You're always a little, well, bitchier when your eyes are black; I expect it then," I decided to keep going, "I sort of have a theory about that."

"More theories?" she said, with narrowed eyes.

"Yep." I chewed off another chunk of bread, surprised at how calm I was.

"I hope you were more creative this time…or are you still stealing from the comics?" her lips were set in a faint smile, but her eyes were remained tight.

"Well, I didn't get it from comic book this time, but I didn't come up with it on my own, either."

"And?" she prompted.

But of course, Andrew strolled around the partition with my food. I was beginning to think our table was bugged; he seemed to appear at "just" the right time. I realized we'd been unconsciously leaning toward each other across the table, because we both straightened up when he approached us. He set the plate in front of me and turned quickly to Bella.

"Did you change your mind?" he asked, "Isn't there _anything_ I could get you, anything?" He smiled coyly, slicking his hair back. I almost laughed.

"No, thank you, but some more soda would be nice." She gestured with a smooth white hand to the empty cups in front of me.

"Sure." He removed the empty glasses and sulked away.

"You were saying?" she asked.

"I'll tell you about it in the car, but only if…" I paused.

"You have conditions?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I have a few questions of my own."

"Of course." She smirked, tossing her soft brown hair over her shoulder. The waiter came back with two more Pepsis. He set them down without a word and left again. I took a long sip, fighting back a belch.

"Well, go ahead." She pushed, an edginess creeping into her voice.

"Why are you in Port Angeles?" this seemed to be the easiest question.

She looked down, folding her smooth white hands together slowly on the table. Her eyes flickered up at me from under her lashes, the hint of a smirk on her face.

"Next." Ok, maybe not.

"That's the easiest thing to answer." I objected.

"Next," she repeated.

I sighed in frustration, grabbing for the napkin-wrapped silverware. I picked out my fork and dug into the soft noodles, twirling it around. I put the forkful in my mouth slowly, my eyes on the plate, chewing as I thought. The food was surprisingly good. I swallowed and took another sip of Pepsi before looking up. She was staring at me; her eyes filled with some emotion I couldn't point out.

I quickly dropped my gaze to her lips before my heart finally caught up with what was going on here. Her mouth was perfect, despite the rigid way in which she held it now. I fought back a smile as my eyes traveled down her slender neck, pausing to admire the contrast between her alabaster skin and the blue sweater. I took a deep breath before looking into her eyes again.

"How did you know I was here?" I pushed the plate of food to the side and leaned towards her. Her eyes locked with mine briefly, before she dropped them and turned her head away from me.

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**PLEASE R&R IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO CONTINUE THIS...**

**P.S. I know Bella drank "Coke", but i'm a "Pepsi" girl...thank u very much!**

**PEACE&POSITIVeNERGY**


	9. Port Angeles III finally done!

Ok, so I've decided to continue this story. I thought about it and realize that I'm writing for me and though reviews are awesome 2 get, I can't let them or the lack of them, deter me from telling my story. That being said, thanks to everyone who chose to review. I really appreciate your comments and encouragement. Hopefully I can continue to make this story great for all of us.

I am so sorry this took so long to complete...i've just been so busy with work and by the time i get home, its lights out!!

Oh yes…to "crs"- I know Bella seems a little "manly" in her actions, but I didn't want her to be the typical "OMG!" girl (that's me! ) She's gotta be more reserved, at first…you know…the way Eddie was, lol.

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"Fine! You wanna play hardball, let's do it. Forget that question, which is so annoyingly easy to answer, we'll try another. Why don't you tell me how you kept me from being hit by that, excuse me, _your_ car?" I folded my arms and leaned back into the seat. Let her try that on for size.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She ran her fingers through her thick brown locks as she finally brought her eyes to mine. The hardness in them had softened a little as a smile played at the corners of her perfect lips.

"Just as I thought," I smirked, "back to question one. What are you doing in Port Angeles? How did you know I was here?"

"That's question one and two."

"Yeah…and?" I prompted, waiting for an explanation.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She exhaled heavily and looked away.

"Try me." I leaned forward, eager to see if she would let the walls come down if only for a moment. I twirled the fork around in the soft noodles before placing a big bite in my mouth.

She took a deep breath before she began.

"Alright. Let's say, hypothetically of course, that…a person could…know what people are thinking, read minds, you know…well, with one exception."

I froze momentarily, staring into her beautiful eyes. I thought she might have been kidding around again, but there was no humor in her face. I placed the fork on the side of the plate and leaned back in my seat once again, deciding to play along.

"O…k…how does that work? Are there limitations? How would…this person…find someone else at exactly the right time? How would they know I…someone, was in trouble?"

"Hypothetically?" she asked.

"Of course."

"Well, if…that person…"

"Let's call her Brooke, I always liked that name." I joked.

She smiled wryly. "Fine. If Brooke had been paying attention, the timing wouldn't have to be so exact." She shook her head quickly, the smile spreading across her perfect face. "Only you could get into trouble in a town this small. "

"I thought we were speaking of hypotheticals." I grimaced.

"Umm, I'm pretty certain that's not a word." She laughed at me, her eyes were warm.

"You know what I mean."

"Right. We were speaking of "hypotheticals," she laughed again, "shall we call you John?"

"How did you know, Bella?" I asked, unable to curb my annoyance. I was tired of imaginary scenarios. I wanted the truth, even if it was hard to believe. I watched as her smile slowly melted into a hard line. She seemed to be having an internal struggle as her eyes locked with mine; as if she were making the decision right then whether or not to just be honest with me.

"Bella, you know you can trust me." Without thinking, I stretched forward to stroke her folded hands but she slid them out of my reach before I could touch them. Rejected, I pulled my hand back, picked up the fork and played with the now, lukewarm noodles.

"I'm not sure if I have a choice anymore." She whispered, lifting the slender fingers of one hand to lightly trace the bones at the base of her neck. Suddenly, her lips pulled into a shy smile.

"What?"

"I was wrong about you. I used to think you were a magnet for accidents. Now I see that's really not a broad enough classification. You are a magnet for trouble! If there is anything dangerous within a five-mile radius, it will invariably find you."

"Do you put yourself in this category?" I wondered aloud.

Her flawless face turned cold and expressionless. "Unequivocally."

I reached my hand across the table again- ignoring her when she pulled back slightly once more- to touch the back of her hand softly with my fingertips. Her skin was cold and hard, like a stone.

"Thank you," I breathed, my voice full of sincerity and some other emotion I didn't quite understand, "that's twice that you've saved me."

Her face softened. "Let' not try for three, ok?"

I nodded and grinned in agreement. She moved her hand out from under mine and placed them both under the table. But she leaned towards me.

"I followed you to Port Angeles," she finally admitted, her words pouring out quickly as she, "I've never tried to keep a specific person alive before, and it's much more troublesome than I would have believed, but then again, that's probably because it's you. Ordinary people seem to make it through the day without so many catastrophes." She paused. I knew it should send up a "stalker" flag that she was following me, but I really didn't care. I would take being stalked by her any day.

"Does this mean I'm extraordinary?" A puzzled look crossed her face as she shook her head. She probably wondered how I could make jokes about such a thing.

"Did you ever think that maybe my number was up the first time…hey wait, if you can read minds…"

"Your number was up the first time I met you." The coldness of her voice sent chills up my spine as she interrupted me. I stared at her, suddenly remembering the violence in her eyes that first day. I knew I should be afraid; more than that, I should probably be running from the table screaming. But the overwhelming since of comfort and awe I felt in her presence stifled it.

"You remember?" She whispered, lifting her eyes to me.

"Yeah."

"Yet here you sit." She chuckled humorlessly as she shook her head in disbelief. I inhaled deeply as the movement sent a gust of her perfumed scent under my nose.

"Yes, here I sit…because of you." I paused. "Because somehow you knew how to find me today…?" I prompted.

Her perfect lips pressed together as she stared at me through narrowed eyes.

"What the hell…" she sighed, resigning herself to the fact that I wasn't going to let it go.

"It's harder than it should be-keeping track of you. Usually, I can find someone fairly easily, once I've heard their mind before." She looked at me anxiously, and I realized I had frozen. I seriously wanted to question her sanity, but that would require me questioning my own so I stuffed another forkful of the cold noodles in my mouth; nodding for her to proceed.

"I was keeping tabs on Anthony, not carefully really, I just wanted to have an idea of what you were up to; make sure you were safe. That's why I didn't know that you'd taken off on your own. When I realized that you weren't with him anymore, I went looking for you at the bookstore I saw in his head. I could tell that you hadn't gone in, and that you'd gone south. I figured you would have to turn around soon so I was just waiting for you; randomly searching through the thoughts of people on the street to see if anyone had noticed you. I didn't have a reason to be worried but strangely, I started to feel a little anxious." She paused, dropping her eyes and fidgeting with her hands as if she'd confessed something I wasn't supposed to hear.

"I started to drive in circles, still…listening. The sun was starting to set, and I was about to look for you on foot and then…" she stopped, suddenly clenching her teeth in fury. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, in an effort to calm her nerves.

"Then what?" I whispered; intrigued by the tale she had spun.

"I heard what they were thinking." She growled, her soft upper lip curling slightly back over her teeth. "I saw your face in his mind." She suddenly leaned forward, one elbow appearing on the table, her delicate hand covering her eyes. The movement was so swift it startled me.

"It was very…hard…to simply…take you away and…leave them…alive." Her voice was slightly muffled by her arm. "I could have let you go with Mike and Anthony, but I was afraid to be alone…afraid that I would go…looking for them." Her voice was a whisper of ice.

I sat quietly, trying to make sense of my incoherent thoughts. I couldn't decide if I should believe her words or if this was just some elaborate story to keep from telling me the truth. At the same time I realized, there were things that she shouldn't have known; things that I hadn't mentioned to her. I watched as she sat unmoved, as if she had been carved from some beautifully rare stone.

Finally she looked up, her eyes seeking mine, full of her own questions.

"Are you ready to go home?" she asked.

"I'm ready to get out of here." I answered, suddenly grateful for the hour-long ride it would take to get back to forks. This was the longest I'd ever been near her, and I was in no hurry for that to end. The waiter suddenly appeared as if he'd been called; or watching.

"How are we doing?" he asked Bella.

"We're ready for the check, thank you." Her voice was soft and fleeting, still reflecting the strain of our conversation. It seemed to muddle him. She looked up, waiting.

"Oh…s-sure," he rambled, "here you go." She pulled a small black folder from the front pocket of his apron and handed it to her.

"Hey wait, what do you…"

"It's fine." She waved her hand dismissively, refusing to let me pay. There was already money in her hands as she took the folder, slipped the bill in and handed it back to him.

"No change." She smiled and stood up, waiting as I scrambled awkwardly to my feet.

"Have a nice evening." Her voice was like satin as her eyes smoldered into mine. She walked close beside me to the door, still careful not to touch me. I sighed heavily as I imagined myself reaching out to grab her cool hands. She must have heard me as she turned, curiosity playing across her face. I kept my eyes on the pavement, happy that she didn't seem to be able to know what I was thinking.

She quickened her pace, pulling slightly ahead of me as we neared the car. I watched her glide effortlessly, her deep brown hair shining faintly in the moonlight. Her swift yet graceful movement amazed me. Maybe I should have been used to it by now, but I had the feeling that Bella wasn't the type of person you could get used to. My brow furrowed in confusion as she came to a fluid stop at the passenger door.

"Ummm…what are you doing?"

"Oh…I'm…opening the door?" I could only shake my head and laugh as I reached her side.

"Let's get one thing straight. I don't mind you sweeping in and saving me from time to time, but I'll be damned if you open the doors too. Give a guy something to do other than have asthma attacks." I joked. The twinkling sound of her giggles filled the air as she walked around to the driver's side. I opened the door, holding it as she stepped in and shutting it softly behind her. Once I was inside the car, she started the engine and turned the heater on high. It had gotten very cold, and I guessed the warm weather, if you could call it such, was at an end. I was warm in the jacket she had given me, though, sneaking a breath of the scent of it when I thought she couldn't see.

Bella pulled out through the traffic, seemingly without a glance, easily turning the car around to head toward the freeway. She really was my kind of girl.

"Now," she breathed lightly, interrupting my thoughts, "it's your turn."

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okidasai! hope u guys liked the Port Angeles chappys...again, sorry that they took so long. I will try and update sooner, but i can't make any promises. Please reivew, good or bad, and let me know what you think.


	10. Speeding

OKIDASAI! So this took waaaayyyy longer than i thought it would, but here u go! thanks so much for being patient with me. I've had a lot going on lately. and thanks to my new friend siibi for encouraging me to keep it going!

oh yeah! i realized something, and i'm totally surprised that no one else did...i completely 4got about the "blood type" chapter! how did i do that??? anyways...lets pretend that i didn't and move it along! :) love u guys!

Steph owns all........NOV. 21!!!!! is fast approaching! do u have ur tickets! I do!!!

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"One more question!" I held up my finger as I leaned towards her, smiling as we sped along the quiet street. Her eyes flickered to mine quickly before she let out a deep sigh.

"Fine…but…just one!" I could tell she didn't want to, but her lips pulled into a small grin anyway. I settled back into my seat, happy that she went along with my request so easily.

"Well…I was just wondering…how you knew I had gone South instead of in the bookstore."

She looked away, deliberating.

"You should be in construction." I mumbled, turning towards the window.

"Really? Do I look "handy" to you?" I whipped my head towards her, surprised and a little embarrassed, that she had heard. Oh well.

"No…but you built that wall back up pretty quickly." I turned my eyes towards the front, watching the street lights blur into one another.

"Are you always this sarcastic?"

"Are you always this evasive?" I challenged.

"Ok, ok…I…followed your…scent." She kept her eyes on the road, which thankfully gave me time to compose my face. I didn't know how to respond to that so I filed it away and tried to re-focus. I knew I had to get in every question I could while I had the chance. Who knew when she would be this open to me again.

"And…you didn't really answer one of my first questions." I stalled.

She glared at me before speaking. "Which one?"

"How does that whole…mind-reading stuff work? How do you do it? Can you read everyone's mind? The rest of your family…can they…?" It felt a little silly, asking her to clarify things I didn't really believe. But it was all I could think of to keep her talking.

"You know, I'm beginning to think you're incapable of asking just "one" question." she pointed out. My response was a smirk while I crossed my arms and waited. She focused her attention on the blackened streets before speaking.

"No, it's just me and no, I can't hear everyone. I have to be fairly close, and familiar with a person's…voice however, the more familiar I am, the farther away I can hear them. But still, it can't be anymore than a few miles." She paused as her brow wrinkled slightly. "It's a bit like being in a large room filled with people, everyone talking at once. It's just a low, buzzing of voices in the background. Until I focus on one voice, and then what they're thinking becomes clear."

"I tune it out most of the time-it's a terrible distraction. And then it's easier to seem normal…" her voice seemed pained as she said the word. "Then I'm not accidentally answering someone's thoughts rather than their words."

"So…why do you think you can't hear me?" I wondered.

She looked at me, her face was blank.

"I don't know," she breathed. "The only guess I have is that maybe your mind doesn't work like the rest of theirs do. Like your thoughts are analog and I can only get digital programming." She grinned brightly, suddenly amused.

"Huh! There's a first; my mind doesn't work right. I'm a freak." I had always known this, but it hurt that she now knew it too.

"I hear voices in my head and you're worried that _you're_ the freak," she smiled. "Don't worry, it's just my theory…which brings us back to you." The humor in her voice was quickly replaced by strain.

I breathed heavily and turned towards the window, trying to decide where to begin."

"You wouldn't be so bad at construction yourself." Her voice was only slightly above a whisper.

I turned slowly, letting my eyes travel over the wood-grained dashboard; stopping when they fell on the speedometer.

"Holy shit!" I shouted. Were we really going that fast?

"What? What's wrong?" she startled, but did not decelerate.

"You're doing 100!" I was still shouting, more out of excitement than fear. I had never been in anything this smooth and this fast. You could barely hear the engine as we raced along the highway.

"Relax, Edward. We're not going to crash." She rolled her eyes, still not slowing.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Was she trying to get me home quickly; the sooner to be away from me?

"I always drive like this." She turned to me, smiling dangerously. Her eyes never left mine as she shifted the gear and pushed the pedal further to the floor. I held her gaze, thrilled by her recklessness.

"Hmm…maybe you should keep your eyes on the road." I suggested, though silently hoping she wouldn't take my advice. Ever since I'd watched the Fast and Furious, I had always wanted to try this move; staring into a beautiful woman's eyes while I floored it down the highway. Never did I think that I would be the one in the passenger's seat.

"I've never been in an accident, Edward. I've never even gotten a ticket." She grinned smoothly and tapped her forehead. "Built-in radar detector."

"Funny…but…if you turn this beautiful work of art into a Romeo pretzel around a tree trunk, you can probably just walk away," I waved my hand dismissively. "I on the other hand, might not be so lucky.

"Probably," she agreed with a short, hard laugh; her eyes smoldering darkly. "But do you really think I would let that happen?" The intensity of her voice woke my heart from its slumber and sent my pulse racing. It was hard to keep my mind from wondering to inappropriate places and the perfect, half-smile on her soft lips only made things harder. Literally.

She giggled softly, dropping our gaze, and turned back towards the road.

"So…I'm still waiting for your latest theory."

I sighed heavily, waiting for my heart to calm down. Just when I thought I'd gotten past these reactions.

"Come on. I promise I won't laugh this time."

"Well, I'm more afraid that you'll be angry."

"Is it really that bad?"

"Err…yeah."

She waited for a moment, watching as I rubbed the back of my neck nervously.

"Go ahead." Her voice was soft, calm.

"I'm not really sure where to start." I admitted.

"Start from the beginning...you said you didn't come up with it on your own, right?"

"Right."

"So…what got you started-a book? A movie, perhaps?" she probed.

"No, it was…my Urban Legends class." I chanced a glance at her face. She seemed puzzled.

"This girl, well, Leah Clearwater, the one I introduced you to."

"And…?" she stilled seemed confused.

"She told us some stories…about her family. Her grandfather was one of the Quileute elders." I watched her face carefully. The confused expression had frozen in place.

"Well, she gave a lecture in class…about some of their old legends…about vampires." I realized that I was almost whispering. I couldn't look at her face now, but I noticed her knuckles tighten on the wheel.

"And you immediately thought of me?" her voice was still calm.

"No. She…mentioned your family."

I searched her face for any sign of change. It was blank now, expressionless as her eyes watched the road.

"She just thought they were superstitions, though." I said quickly, suddenly worried about protecting Leah, but it didn't seem like enough. I sighed and looked out into the night.

"What did you do then?" she asked after a moment.

"I did a little research on the internet."

"And were you convinced?" Her voice seemed bored, but her hands still had not loosened on the steering wheel.

"No. Nothing fit. Most of it was pretty stupid and then…" I paused.

"What?"

"I decided it didn't matter." I stated, frankly.

"It didn't _matter_?" The harshness of her tone made me look up. My words had finally broken through her carefully composed masked.

"No," I said strongly. "I don't care what you are."

"You don't care if I'm a monster? If I'm not _human_?" Her soft, bell-like voice trilled harshly and it was hard not to smile at the attractiveness of it.

"No." I answered.

She didn't speak; she stared straight ahead, her angelic face bleak and cold.

"You're angry." I sighed, "I knew I should've left it alone."

"No," she said, but her tone was now as hard as her face. "I'd rather know what you're thinking, even it is insane."

"So, you're saying I'm wrong, then?" I challenged.

"That's not what I was talking about. "It doesn't matter!" she mocked, gritting her teeth together.

"So I'm right!" I gasped at the absurdity of such a conclusion.

"Does it _matter?_"

I took a deep breath before answering.

"Not really," I paused. "But I am a little curious."

She was suddenly resigned, "What are you curious about?"

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen." She answered automatically.

"And how long have you been seventeen?"

Her lips twitched as she stared at the road. "A while." She finally admitted.

"Cool." I didn't know what else to say, although I was pleased that she was still being open with me. She stared at me with watchful eyes, as if waiting for me to jump out of the car. I smiled at her.

"Don't laugh, but how can you come out during the daytime?"

"Myth." she laughed anyway.

"Burned by the sun?"

"Myth."

"Thwarted by garlic?"

"Also a myth."

"Sleeping in coffins?"

"Myth." She hesitated for a moment, and a new tone entered her voice. "I can't sleep."

This surprised me. "At all?"

"Never," she said; her smooth voice nearly inaudible. She turned to me with a wistful expression. Her smoldering eyes held mine, and just like before, my heart jolted as I lost my train of thought. I stared at her unwillingly, until she looked away.

"You haven't asked me the most important question yet." Her voice was hard again, and when she looked at me, her piercing eyes were cold.

I blinked rapidly, still in a daze. "Which one is that?"

"You aren't concerned about my diet?" she asked sarcastically.

"Right…that." I mumbled.

"Yes, that." She mimicked. "Don't you want to know if I drink blood?"

I winced. "Well, Leah said something about that," I paused, wishing I had shut my mouth when I'd had the chance.

"Continue." She instructed flatly.

"She said you didn't…hunt people. She said that you and your family weren't supposed to be dangerous because you only hunted animals."

"Really? She said we weren't dangerous?" there was a mocking edge to her voice.

"Not entirely. Just that you weren't _supposed_ to be, but her people still didn't want you on their land…just in case."

"Hmm." She breathed, finally loosening her grip.

"Was she right? About you not hunting people?" I tried to keep the strain out of my voice.

"Let's just say the Quileutes have a long memory." She whispered.

I took that as confirmation as I stared out into the black night; wondering what to make of all this.

"Don't let that make you complacent, though," she interrupted my thoughts. "They're right to keep their distance from us. We are still dangerous."

"I don't get it."

"We try," she began slowly. "We're usually very good at what we do. Sometimes we make mistakes, though. Me, for example, allowing myself to be alone with you."

"Huh? How could this be a mistake?" I wondered, my heart speeding up.

"Edward, I will admit that my self control is beyond great; I've had years of practice. But placing myself in a position where I could so easily…" she stopped short, squeezing her eyes shut and shaking her head quickly. "The point is, this is a very dangerous mistake." she breathed.

We were both quiet for a while. I gazed out into the sky, searching for the light of the stars through the dark clouds that covered them. I couldn't believe how fast things were happening. Had it really been so long ago that I'd seen her that first time; in my dreams and to my rescue? I was suddenly aware of the time that always seemed to fly when you were having fun. A feeling of sadness wafted over me as I realized I may never have a chance to be with her like this again-openly; the walls between us down for once. Her words had hinted at an end, and I recoiled from the idea. There was no time to waste.

"So…tell me…more." I hesitated, trying desperately to mask the sadness in my voice.

She turned to me quickly, confused by the new tone in my voice. "What would you like to know?"

"Tell me why you hunt animals instead of people?" The sadness in my voice was thick as I stared into the starless night.

"I…don't _want_ to be a monster." She almost whispered.

"But animals aren't enough?"

"I can't be sure…but I'd compare it to living on tofu and soy milk; we call ourselves vegetarians, a little inside joke. It doesn't completely quench our…thirst, but it keeps us strong enough to resist…most of the time."

"Maybe you should try Sprite." I joked lamely.

She rolled her eyes before continuing. "Sometimes it's more difficult than others."

"Is it difficult for you now?"

"Yes." She sighed heavily.

"But you're not hungry now." I stated, confidently.

"Why do you think that?"

"Your eyes. It's one of my theories. I've noticed that women are a little more-excuse the term-bitchier, when they're hungry."

"Hmm…" she mused.

"I'm wrong?"

"No, just more observant than I'd thought." She laughed.

I shook my head in agreement and turned towards the window. I closed my eyes, committing the silky sound of her laughter to memory.

"Were you hunting this weekend?" I asked, continuing to stare blankly through the darkness.

"Yes." She paused for a moment, as if deciding whether or not to say something. "I didn't want to leave, but it was necessary. It's a bit easier to be around you when I'm not thirsty."

"Why didn't you want to leave?" I turned around, looking into her face.

She sighed heavily before turning to me. "It makes me…anxious…to be away from you?" The intensity of her eyes seemed to be making my bones turn soft.

"I was distracted all weekend, worrying about you. I've witnessed how hard it is for you to make it across flat surfaces without harming yourself. After what happened tonight, I'm quite surprised you were able to make it through the weekend unscathed."

A part of me should have been offended by her implying that I was a klutz. This however, was true in fact, so I could not bring myself to feel the proper level of offense. What I did feel more than anything, was shock. When had her feelings grown in such a way that she was worried for my safety? We were…friends, so I guess its natural for friends to worry about each other, but there was something more in the tone of her melodic voice.

"It was a very long three days. I really got on Rose's nerves." She interrupted.

"Huh? Three days? How come you weren't in class?"

"Well, you asked if the sun hurts me, and it doesn't, but I still can't come out in the sunlight; at least not where anyone can see."

"Why?"

"I'll show you sometime."

I nodded absently, immediately drawn back into my thoughts.

"Edward, what is it?" my heart skipped at the sound of my name on her lips.

"I…well…you could have called…when you came back." I stammered.

"But I knew you were ok." She was puzzled.

"But…I didn't know where you were. It…" I paused, feeling the blood rush to my face as I risked my feelings, "I don't like…not seeing you. It makes me anxious, too." I said quietly so my voice wouldn't falter.

She did not speak. I glanced at her, worried that I'd said too much, and saw the pained expression on her face.

"Edward," she breathed. "This is wrong."

I knew it. Here comes the big speech. I like you but…can't we just be friends? I breathed heavily, silently cursing myself.

"What's wrong?" my voice was flat; I already knew what was wrong.

"Don't you see, Edward? It's one thing for me to make myself miserable, but a wholly other thing for you to be so involved." I stared at her in disbelief. This had not been the speech I was expecting to hear.

"I don't want to hear that you feel that way." Her voice was low, but urgent. "It's wrong. It's not safe. I'm dangerous, Edward- please, understand that." The anguish in her eyes did not match the hardness of her voice. It was as if she was trying to convince herself as well.

"No…I don't…I can't." I looked away.

"I'm serious." She growled.

"So am I. I told you…it doesn't matter to me what you are. It's too late." I breathed, surprisingly calm. I leaned forward, my elbows resting on my knees as I rubbed the back of my neck. From the corner of my eye, I saw her reach toward me hesitantly with her right hand, but then she stopped and placed it slowly back on the steering wheel.

"I'm…sorry." The regret was heavy in her voice. I sat up, watching her face as I leaned back into the butter-soft leather seats. Her face was blank, but the sadness in her eyes was unmistakable. I closed my eyes and listened to the soft hum of the engine as we sped along the highway. This had turned out to me some night. I had narrowly escaped what could have been death, only to experience one of another kind; the death of any hope that I may have a chance with her. I could see now, that though she might have like me enough to worry, it wasn't enough for her to attempt anything more than friendship.

"Tell me something." Her satin covered voice pierced my thoughts effortlessly.

"Sure."

"What were you thinking tonight, just before I came around the corner? I couldn't understand your expression-you didn't look scared, you looked as if you were concentrating very hard on something."

"Oh. I was trying to remember some moves I learned in a Karate class I used to take. I figured I could at least try and take one of them out." I chuckled.

"You wanted to fight them? Why didn't you just run?" she was upset now.

"Well as you noted earlier, I'm no good with flat surfaces, so running would have only helped them."

"What about screaming for help?"

"No offence, but that's more of a chick thing."

She giggled lightly and shook her head, "You were right, I'm definitely fighting fate trying to keep you alive."

I sighed heavily as the car began to slow, passing into the boundaries of Forks. It had taken less than twenty minutes.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" I asked quietly.

"Yes," she smiled, "I'll save you a seat in the caf'."

It was weird, after everything that had happened tonight, how the promise of seeing her sent chills through my body. I turned towards the window and saw that we were in front of my place. Everything seemed to utterly normal, as if I were waking from a dream. She stopped the car, but I couldn't bring myself to leave.

"You sure you're going to be there tomorrow?"

"I promise."

I considered that for a moment and decided it would have to be enough. I sighed heavily as a placed my hand on the door handle, trying to prolong the moment.

"Edward?" she asked in a different tone, one that seemed to affect different parts of me.

"Umm…yeah?" I turned back to her slowly, shocked as her glorious, pale face was now inches from mine. Her eyes smoldered even in the darkness. My heart stopped.

"Sleep well." She said. Her cool breath blew in my face. It was the same delicious scent that clung to the jacket I had worn, but in a more concentrated form. I blinked, thoroughly dazed. She smirked and leaned away.

It took several minutes before my brain unscrambled itself and allowed me to move. I pushed the door open and stepped awkwardly from the car, supporting myself on the door frame. I thought I heard her giggle, but the sound was too quiet for me to be sure. She waited patiently until I made to the front door and then quietly ignited the engine. I turned and watched as the sleek car disappeared around the corner. A shiver raced down my spine as I realized it was cold.

Absently, I reached for the key, unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"Man, what took you so long?" I had known I would be bombarded with questions as soon as I returned home, but I thought they would at least let me take five steps into the house before it began.

"Chill out." My voice was weak as I made my way down the hall towards the bathroom.

"Aww come on, you gotta tell us what happened!" Mike whined from behind me.

"Look guys, I'll be more than happy to tell you every detail…tomorrow. Right now, I just wanna take a shower and go to bed." I said, closing the door on both of them.

"Dude! Come on! You can't just leave us hanging like that!" Anthony yelled, banging on the door.

I went through the motions of getting ready for bed without even thinking. It wasn't until I was in the shower-the water too hot, burning my skin-that I realized I was freezing. My teeth chattered noisily for several minutes before the soothing water relaxed my rigid muscles. Once I felt strong enough to move, I stepped out and wrapped myself in a towel.

"So what's she like? Is she boring? She seems like she could be?" the questions began as soon as I opened the bathroom door.

"Guys, come on, seriously. Tomorrow!" I scrambled to my room as quickly as I could and locked the door behind me.

"Ok. It's like that now? Fine! I didn't wanna know anyway!" Anthony yelled.

"I do! Come on man, give up the details." Mike continued.

"Goodni-ight!" I sang back. My mind swirled dizzily as I quickly dressed myself and hopped in the bed. Nothing seemed to be clear at first, but as I sank closer to the realm of unconsciousness, a few certainties became clear.

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Bella was a vampire. Second, there was a part of her-and I didn't know how much- that thirsted for my blood. Third, and perhaps most troubling, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with her.

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Ok, so i hoped u liked it. sorry if there are any grammatical errors, lol. didnt really have time to check it thoroughly. the next chap may be a little longer to put up as i am currenlty working on my own novel! hurrrrrrayyyy!!!! lol...hey, i need a name for an asian (korean) male in my book...anyone have any ideas??? please help me!!!


	11. Chapter 11

**BONJOUR!!!! OMG!!! I'm so sorry i took so long...i have been a combination of busy and lazy and then more busy and lazy! Please find it in ur heart to forgive me :( Please note that i wrote this in three parts and three different times (and it still isn't done!!!!) then i put them all together...i'm apologizing ahead of time if something doesn't make sense. i read over it and it seemed ok but my eyes are crossing at the moment so i'm not sure how helpful that is. **

**thank u so much to everyone who writes reviews and sends me comments. i really appreciate ur encouragement! a special hi to my friend Sibii (sorry i didn't finish the whole thing :( and to .breathe who inspired my edward and tanya fic**

**STEPH OWNS ALL...damn it!**

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The alarm did not wake me up. Instead, I was startled awake by thunderous knocking on my door. My glazed eyes sluggishly moved to the bed-side table, blinking rapidly when the bright red "6:30" came into view.

"What the hell?" I groaned, sitting up and placing my feet on the chilled, wooden floor. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! The knocking started again. I hoisted myself from the bed and shuffled towards the door. This time, they had gone too far.

"Seriously. What the hell is your problem? It's 6:30 in the freaking morning, man." I mumbled to smiley-faced Mike.

"Huh? You weren't awake? I thought I heard you moving around in there. Oh well, come to the kitchen. We've got breakfast!" I stared at him blankly as he walked away. Were they serious? Did they really wake me up at the ass-crack of dawn just to get some information? I shook my head in disbelief as I followed his path down the hall and into the kitchen. There was no way I would get back to sleep, so I might as well get it over with now.

"Good morning, Rumplestiltskin, how did we sleep?" Anthony called as I entered the kitchen. I glared at him with narrowed eyes as I took a seat at the counter.

"Oh, come on, don't be such a sour puss."

"Dude, its 6.30; 6.30! My first class doesn't start until nine. I should be staring at the back of my eyelids right now." I complained.

"Stop your whining and eat some pancakes." Mike suggested, placing a hand on my shoulder. I quickly shook it off.

"No man, you guys are so inconsiderate! You couldn't wait an hour and a half for me to get up? Seriously! I should punch one of you in the face."

"My, my, I guess our evening didn't go so well, did it?" Anthony smirked, placing a stack of pancakes in front of me. I was angry, but the look and scent of those pancakes had my stomach stirring. This was the only reason I had agreed to be roommates with Anthony; if nothing else, he was a descent cook.

"Don't think that because I'm going to eat this stack of pancakes, that it somehow entitles you to some information." I remarked, placing a forkful in my mouth. They were delicious, as usual.

"Of course it does, now start talking. Well, swallow that first and then start."

I ignored his remark and stuffed in a large bite. I had to give it to him; he was a pain in the ass, but his culinary skills were pretty good for a guy. All of his exes agreed that this was the only reason they put up with him as long as they did. I chuckled at the memory as I gulped down half a glass of orange juice.

"Listen, I hate to interrupt your reverie, but some of us don't have an hour and a half until our next class." Mike informed me.

"Well, some of you should have thought about that before waking me up. You know, this really could have waited until tonight."

"Moving on," Anthony interjected before I could protest further. "So tell us, what's she like? Did you eat dinner or run screaming from the table?"

"Hey man, that happened one time…one time! And I didn't scream, I was _calling_ for help. Didn't we agree not to bring that up?" I rubbed the back of my neck as I recalled the date from, well, I don't know where, but she was scary. Although I had to admit, there were a few things about Bella that were alarming as well.

"Right, well, at least your story has maintained its consistency." Anthony smirked as he refilled my glass with juice.

"Yeah well, I keep telling…"

"Oh cut the shit, Edward. You know we don't wanna hear about that again. Get to the point of this breakfast, would you?" Mike interrupted.

"Ok, ok, ok! There isn't really much to tell. I got lost, she found me, we had dinner, she dropped me off. I woke up to find that my roommates were as rude and inconsiderate as they've always been. End of story." I rushed, quickly stuffing my mouth with a large bite of pancakes.

"Oh, come on! Details, we need details! What did you talk about? I'm sure it wasn't much seeing as how your conversational skills leave something to be desired but hey, maybe she didn't mind." Anthony joked.

"I will not dignify that comment with a response."

"Isn't that a response?"

"Shut up, Anthony or he's never gonna give us anything. Ok, Edward, lets try yes or no questions."

I nodded in agreement.

"Did you kiss her?"

I swallowed hard before answering though I was sure he could by the hand that was now running through my hair, the answer was no.

"I see…well, did you hold hands, get a hug?"

Again, the hand remained buried in my tosseled hair.

"Oh hell, this chick is playing hard to get. She's hot but I don't know if she's worth all that." Anthony smirked. I caught Mike's head swivel in his direction just as mine did. He couldn't possibly think we were that dumb.

"Yeah, you're right…she is worth it." He finally admitted.

"Is she some sort of...weirdo? No offense but, she seems a little…strange." He mused. I wasn't sure how to answer the question as I was pretty positive that a mind-reading vampire was beyond being a weirdo. I settled for a shrug of the shoulders and took a sip of juice.

"Oh for Pete's sake, this is all like pulling teeth. I only want to know one thing, do you like her and is this going anywhere."

"That's two things."

"Shut up, Mike."

The first question was a no-brainer; of course I liked her. I couldn't think of a reason not to like her; actually, I could think of a few but they weren't reasons for me. They only made her more interesting; more appealing. As to where all this was going, I wasn't certain, but I had a strange feeling that I couldn't stay away from her and the even more bizarre inkling that she felt the same way about me.

"I don't know." I answered honestly, as the blood slowly began its rush to my face.

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An hourly later, I felt the familiarsense of déjà vu as I awoke to my beeping alarm clock. It took a few moments to remember that I'd taken a quick shower and nap after the breakfast interrogation squad had their fill with my vague answers. That was the strategy I'd often used to avoid their queries; they were always too impatient to pry the real truth from me. I shut the alarm off and pushed myself from the bed. I glanced out the window, smiling at the clouds that covered the morning sky. If what she'd said was true, there would be no reason for Bella not to be in class today. Again I smiled, still unable to believe that last nights events had really taken place.

I threw on my usual uniform, a navy blue polo, jeans and sneakers, grabbed my books and headed for the door. It was unusually foggy as I descended the stairs outside my apartment, but I didn't mind all that much. My mind was so caught up in wondering how things would go with Bella today, I was halfway down the walkway before I noticed the car parked in front; a red car. I whipped my head from side to side, searching for her as my heart drummed in my throat.

"Looking for me?" I whipped around quickly to see Bella standing at the foot of the stairs. I stared dumbfounded, as her lips curled into that perfect, crooked smile. I let my eyes slide swiftly over body, admiring the deep v of her knee-length, burgundy dress. The fabric seemed a little flimsy for this weather but I didn't mind. My brain was in shambles as I searched for words to say. She took two steps forward and then disappeared. I blinked rapidly, stunned by what had just happened.

"Do you want to ride with me today?" I nearly jumped out of shoes, as she now stood directly next to me. Her delicious scent rolled off in waves, causing my heart to stutter with each breath I took. It continued to hammer away as I mumbled something incoherent. Her brows crinkled slightly in the middle before she shrugged it off and smiled.

"Uhh...nice weather, eh?" Lame yes, but those were the only words I could pull from the slosh that was now my brain. She giggled softly as her smile widened, illuminating the space around us.

"Yes, but that is not an answer to my question." I stared blankly, overwhelmed by both her intoxicating scent and beauty.

"Ed-ward?" she waved her hand in front of my face, trying to snap me out of it.

"Yeah, uh, what was that?" I rubbed my neck, embarrassed.

"Do you want to ride with me today?"

"Yes." I answered before she barely had the sentence out. The sound of her soft laughter hung in the air as she flitted down the walkway at a non-human speed. I stopped short as she slowed behind the car and walked to the passenger door. I was beginning to think she was a little hard at hearing.

"Bella, I thought I was clear the last time you…"

"I know, Edward, you don't want me opening doors for you. I get it." she smiled, placing her pale arms on top of the car and resting her chin on them. The contrast of her milky skin against its deep red tint caused a slight hitch to my breathing.

"Soo…why are _you_ on the passenger's side?"

"Because _you're_ driving, silly."

I'm not sure it's possible for your lungs to collapse without warning, but that's exactly what mine did, leaving me doubled over, hand to throat, choking on the last breath lodged in my throat.

"Edward, are you alright?" I jumped at the sound of her silken voice, now inches away from my face. I tried to breathe deeply as the sweet scent of her breath blanketed me. I was going to have to get used to this.

"Err…yeah, just…the asthma thing." I waved the incident off as I straightened up.

"Really Edward, you've got to come up with a better excuse than that." she called as she made her way back to the passenger's side.

"Umm…are you sure you want…me…to drive…this?" I spoke as I walked along the side of the car, carefully running my fingers along the contoured body.

"I've been told that I'm a little…uptight…so..."

"So you decided to let me drive your car into a ditch. Great way to loosen up." I laughed, stopping by her side. I pulled the door open and motioned for her to get in. My pulse quickened as my brain finally grasped the situation. Truthfully, I wanted nothing more than to jump in the front seat and floor it; I didn't care were we went, as long as my foot was on the gas. Back on Earth, I realized this wouldn't be possible as I was barely able to control my breathing in her presence, let alone the controls of a 450 horse-powered, 4.7 liter V-8 engine.

I took one last deep breath before opening the door and sliding in. I sat there for a while, taking in the elements of the interior. I knew enough about cars to know this wasn't your average production model. Just about everything had been custom built. I ran my fingers around the wood-grained wheel, unable to hold off the smile that broke out.

"Nice, huh?"

"What?" I jerked my head in her direction. I had forgotten she was there.

"Guess it's safe to say you like it." She giggled, crossing her pale legs.

"Err…yeah." I mumbled, averting my eyes.

"Well, go ahead. Start her up." She motioned to the keys in the ignition. "Just be careful, a light foot is always best to start." She smiled sheepishly.

I buckled my seat belt, "And you're sure you want to do this; want me to do this?" I wasn't sure she would be able to get me from behind the wheel. Well, she probably _could _but…it would take a lot.

"Just drive, Edward."

And drive I did.

The engine purred to life as I turned the key. I was suddenly glad that Charlie had forced me to learn to drive a stick-shift. At the time, I protested vehemently of its uselessness however, I would not be so quick to judge next time.

I was quiet as I eased the car out into traffic. I was almost sure she could hear my heart beating through my ears. At least this time, it had nothing to do with her close proximity. I hummed quietly, in tune with the engine. This was the smoothest ride I had ever known; I could drive this car forever.

"What, no 20 questions today?" Once again her voice startled me back to Earth.

"Do my questions bother you?" I wondered for the first time. It had never occurred to me that maybe I talked too much.

"Honestly, I'm more bothered by your reactions." Her brow wrinkled as she turned her gaze to the street.

"So, I react badly?"

"Not that's its bad, its just…not what I expect. You seem to take things a little too smoothly."

"O..k…that's a bad thing?"

"Absolutely." Her eyes were hard when she turned to me, as if she were trying to burn something into my brain. I had obviously struck a nerve, which didn't seem that hard to do with her.

"So…what's a girl like you doing driving a car like this?"

"And what exactly would a boy like _you_ know about a car like this?"

"Are you kidding, I've been following this company since it was known as _Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili_" My Italian wasn't very good and I hoped I hadn't butchered the pronunciation. I turned to look at Bella who was staring at me fixedly.

"What?"

"You speak _Car and Driver_!"

"Don't all males?"

"Most males wouldn't know the original acronym for A.L.F.A."

"Neither do most women." I laughed nervously, running my fingers through my messy hair. She couldn't have been more perfect if I'd made her myself. I glanced out the window and was almost shocked that we had reached the campus parking garage. I couldn't remember the first red light, stop sign, turn signal; nothing.

"What's wrong?" the concern in her voice was undeniable.

"Oh umm, nothing. Hey, where's your family? Don't you guys usually come together?" I changed the subject.

"Oh, they took Emmett's car." She shrugged her shoulders, pointing to a sleek, black SUV to our right. "Ostentatious, isn't it?"

"Look who's talking!" I smiled, pulling into the nearest parking space.

"Don't even think about it!" I breathed just as she reached to open her door.

"Oh, right, sorry." I could only shake my head as I exited the car.

"Ok, now you can move." I smiled, holding the door open.

"Thank you." For the first time this morning, I noticed the lightness of her eyes. Would I ever get used to such a face? It didn't seem likely. She was very close to me as we walked on campus, a fact that did not go unoticed. I wished I had the courage to the close the distance and place her hand in mine, but alas, I was yellow through and through. Plus, I wasn't sure how she would react.

I couldn't help but the notice the numerous students who stopped and stared, or sometimes glowered, as we slowly crossed the small courtyard between the parking garage and the English building. She seemed to be oblivious to this fact as I watched her. The look on her face was both serene and excited; as if she had some juicy secret she was squirming to share.

"Your friend is anxious to see you." she breathed, her lips barely moving. I quickly turned my head to see Mike waiting, arms crossed, beneath the large oak tree at the southern corner of the building.

"Damn, what now?" I groaned.

"Would you really like to know?" her lips turned into a sly smile.

"You know?" Her smile widened and she nodded, tapping the side of her head.

"Right, so…help me out."

"Well, he's thinking he wants to…harm you, for lying this morning. He thinks you lied about your…feelings for me." She said all this with a straight face but I couldn't help but feel she wanted to burst out laughing. "He also wants to know if we're secretly dating." I shook my head, wishing I had gone ahead and spilled the beans at breakfast. Instead, I now had to stand here with her knowing everything that had transpired this morning. I was more than positive he was unknowingly giving her a play by play.

"So, what are you going to tell him?" She stopped in front of me, just as she reached the sidewalk nearest to Mike. I was stunned momentarily.

"I really don't know…a little help wouldn't hurt." I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Well, it _would_ make things easier if you went along with the secret dating. That is, if you don't mind." I wondered briefly if my face looked as shocked as I felt.

"Uhh, no, I don't…mind if, you don't." I averted my eyes, afraid that she would see the hope rising in them.

"Ok well, he's waiting to bombard you so, I'm heading to class."

"Right, see ya." I breathed, forcing my feet to move away from her.

"Oh and Edward," I turned quickly, my heart thumping in my chest, "I'll be listening. See you at lunch." My favorite smile illuminated her face as she turned swiftly and walked away. It was a moment before my breathing came under control, but finally, I mustered enough strength to move along.

"Dude, what the hell! So, you're lying to me, now? Me, your best friend in the whole world? Damn, I never thought I'd see the day." I guess Mike wasn't going to wait until we reached the classroom.

"Good morning again, Mike." I walked past him and up the short flight of steps to the English building.

"Oh, it's like that now? You can't even stop and speak to a friend? Wow, what did she do to you?"

"Mike, what are you…wait, why are you even out here? Isn't your first class on the _opposite _side of campus?"

"Yeah, but word is out that you were seen _driving _Bella to campus in that fancy car of hers." I couldn't believe how fast the gossip mill was running. I guess in a town this small, any news was worthy of being spread.

"Yeah well, big deal." My heart was stuttering erratically, contradicting the nonchalance of my tone.

"Yeah well, you're gonna give up the details of this little…well, whatever it is or else I'm going to, well, I don't know what I'll do but it'll be something." He threatened, poking me in the shoulder. I sighed heavily, realizing he just wasn't going to let this go.

"Fine…what do you wan to know?" I waved the white flag. His face lit up as he through his arm over my shoulder.

"Now that's the spirit! I knew you wouldn't leave me hanging like that! So…what really happened last night? Did you plan to meet her there along?" I squirmed from under his arm before pushing open the old wooden door of the building. I was debating whether or not I should just make something up when I remembered Bella would be "listening". This little gift of hers was turning out to be a little inconvenient.

"No, it wasn't planned, I just…ran into her, when I was walking around."

"O..K…so…what did you guys talk about? Wait…" he jumped in front of me, holding his arms out dramatically, "did you kiss her, the _truth_ this time!"

"No, I told you. It's not…like that. We're, just friends."

"But you wanted to kiss her, right?"

I sighed, "Right."

"Good. Ok, so what's she like? Is she a bitch? She seems like a bitch; don't get me wrong, she's hot…but…" He shrugged his shoulders as we started to walk again. For some reason, the narrow hallway seemed a lot longer this morning.

"Do you think that by saying she's hot, it negates the vulgarity of calling her a bitch?" I wondered aloud.

"Of course I do!"

Of course he did.

"No, she's not a bitch, she's actually…well," I couldn't think of the right words to describe her; goddess, angelic lifesaver, beauty incarnate. The possibilities were endless.

"I can't describe it but, she's more than just a pretty face, and body…" I tried to mask the forlorn expression I new had appeared but, wait…had I really said "and body"? Shit!

"Ummhmm…I see. You like her, don't you?" he grinned from ear to ear, nodding his head knowingly.

"Yeah." I breathed, blowing air in exasperation.

"How much do you like her?"

"More than she likes me, I'm sure, but hey, what can I do?" Well, if it hadn't been already, the cat was certainly out of the bag now. I felt my face redden as I imagined what Bella would be thinking after hearing this little conversation. It really didn't matter now. The more I thought, the more I warmed to the idea of her knowing how I felt. At least now, we would have to address the issue and I would finally know where I stood with her.

"Hey man, don't look so sullen. You went on a date with arguably the hottest chick ever! You're pretty much set for life. Later dude!" He slapped my shoulder and headed the way we had come, leaving me with a red face and a heavy heart.

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ok so now u have it! i hope u guys like this half chapter! I was trying to make it a little different but still keep the basic principles. please review or message me and tell me what you think! i'll do my best to have the next section up soon but i can't promise my eyes will cooperate!

love u all!

oh. i added pictures of bella's car to my profile!!! she's a little more "out there" than Edward but hey, this is my fic!!! :)

Peace&PositivEnergy


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